WALAYAR: Passing through the narrow black-topped road that connects the Attappallam village to the national highway brings to you the bewitching beauty of a typical Palakkad village with lush green paddy fields, tall Palmyra trees and the misty mountains in the background of the blue sky studded with white clouds. A mud road with rock formations that ensure a bumpy ride leads us to the thatched house of the two minor Dalit girls, who were found dead two years ago. The house remains closed as the mother has gone out and the neighbours are reluctant to speak as the area has been frequented by media, politicians and social workers for the past couple of weeks.
The verdict of the Palakkad Sessions Court that acquitted the accused persons has disappointed the villagers, who were hoping that the perpetrators will be punished which will serve as a warning to the people who harass and exploit minor girls. “We cannot forget the innocent faces of the two girls who had lived among us for years. The elder girl was good in her studies and well behaved, while the younger child was a chatter box,” reminisced Bindu, a villager.
‘Quiz parents’
A section of the villagers demand that the government should reinvestigate the case and question the parents to find out the real reason behind the death of the two sisters.“We heard that the elder girl had jotted down about her ordeal in her book, which her teacher at the Kanjikode Government School read accidentally. She had summoned the mother and asked her to shift her daughter to the government rescue home for girls at Alathur.
However, the mother refused. Later, the girl was sent to a convent at Guruvayur, from where she was brought back. The parents burnt the dresses and books of the girl two days after her death. The police should question the parents to bring out the mystery behind the deaths,” said Vijayan, a villager, who is also a former local committee secretary of the CPM.
What victim told friend
Rachana, a friend of the elder girl who was adjudged hostile witness by the court, said the girl had complained about the misbehaviour of the accused. “In 2015, I along with my friends Sumathi and Misha had gone for election campaigning. Later, the elder girl joined us. As we were roaming around the village, we saw Pradeep, the accused, and the girl tried to hide behind us.
When we asked she did so, she said he was a bad man. She said the man had once removed his clothes in front of her and asked to take his nude photograph. She screamed and ran away. She had hinted about similar incidents later. But we never thought she would commit suicide,” said Rachana.She said the defence counsel had confused the three girl witnesses asking them which election they were campaigning for. As three of them gave different answers, they were adjudged hostile.