KOCHI: Police on Wednesday arrested a youth after a 19-year-old woman, a survivor of a 2021 rape case, was found severely injured and unconscious at her house in Chottanikkara on Sunday. The arrested is Anoop, 25, of Thalayolaparambu, who is suspected to be the victim’s boyfriend.
Police said there was a knot made of shawl on the victim's neck and she was half-naked when one of her relatives found her. It is suspected that she had been lying unconscious for hours, as her wounds were infested with ants. She was rushed to Ernakulam GH and later shifted to a private hospital in Kochi, where she remains on ventilator support.
Based on a complaint from her mother, the police have registered a case of rape and attempted murder. Police probe revealed that Anoop had arrived at her house on Saturday. A friend had dropped him off at the house around 9 pm, and he reportedly left the next morning.
“Anoop was agitated that the victim spoke to some other person. There was a fight between them in this regard on Sunday. The victim attempted to die by suicide in front of Anoop by injuring herself. However, Anoop did not dissuade her. Instead, he tried to smother her,” said V T Shajan, DySP, Puthencruz.
Police said Anoop has criminal antecedents, including a narcotic case registered against him at Thalayolaparambu station. The victim had survived a rape case in 2021 when she was a minor. Two individuals were arrested in connection with that case, and the trial is still pending in court.
Her mother said that she came to know about her daughter’s relationship with Anoop a few months ago and had warned her to keep a distance from him. The victim was adopted by a retired military officer, but he passed away four years ago.
The woman and her mother were staying at different places as there were issues between them. “Her mother feared Anoop and contacted the Sainik Welfare Office in Ernakulam for assistance two months ago. That was how the matter came to our attention. She was then shifted to an accommodation arranged by the Sainik Welfare Office,” said a local ward member.