KOCHI : Two persons, including a woman, were arrested on Wednesday, for attacking a 43-year-old woman autorickshaw driver in Kuzhuppilly, Vypeen.
Priyanka, 30, of Cheruvype, and Vidhun Dev, 25, of Veliyathamparambu East, were arrested by Njarakkal police.
Cops launched an operation to arrest the accused, including Sajeesh, the prime accused and husband of Priyanka, officers said.
“The victim, Jaya, and Priyanka are neighbours and relatives. A land dispute between the families was one of the motives behind the attack,” an officer said. Priyanka and Sajeesh were under the impression that Jaya was spreading rumours against them, he said.
According to officers, Sajeesh hired Jaya’s autorickshaw from Pallathamkulangara stand, near Kuzhuppilly, around 6pm on Monday and travelled to various places including a round trip to Kuzhuppilly Beach and Kalamassery Medical College Hospital. When they returned to Kuzhuppilly, the accused demanded that he be driven to Ernakulam, but Jaya refused saying that she wanted to return home as it was too late.
“At that point, Sajeesh snatched Jaya’s mobile phone and hit her on the nose. He also attacked Jaya with a weapon and tried to smother her with his hand,” an officer said. She was also brutally punched. She is yet to recover from the assault, he added.
KWC members visit victim at hospital
Kerala Women’s Commission (KWC) has registered a case suo-motu in connection with the incident where a woman autorickshaw driver was severely injured by three youths in Kuzhuppilly.
KWC chairperson Advocate P Satheedevi expressed her hope that all the accused will be caught soon, after visiting the victim Jaya in Lissie Hospital at Kaloor.
“A woman who drives an autorickshaw to support her family was attacked. It is understood that she was brutally attacked by gangsters over a personal enmity. The police should take strict action to prevent such violence against women,” she said. She has requested an urgent report on the incident from the Ernakulam Rural SP Vaibhav Saxena, and asked Health Minister Veena George to take steps to ensure the necessary treatment for Jaya.