'Suryanelli victim was raped 67 times in 40 days'

The state government on Thursday submitted before the Kerala High Court that the victim was subjected to rape a total of 67 times, including gangrape as many as 49 times, in 40 days.
'Suryanelli victim was raped 67 times in 40 days'

The state government on Thursday submitted before the Kerala High Court that the victim was subjected to rape a total of 67 times, including gangrape as many as 49 times, in 40 days.

Prime accused Dharmarajan raped her 13 times, it added. Director General of Prosecution T Asaf Ali made the submission when the appeals filed by the accused in the case come up for hearing.

The DGP pointed out that the victim was subjected to rape a total of 67 times by 37 different people during 40 days from January 16, 1996, to February 26, 1996. Out of this, 49 times involved multiple people in succession (gangrape), while 18 times it was by individuals, the graphic chart submitted by the state pointed out.

According to the DGP, as a result of a conspiracy hatched by Dharmarajan and other accused persons, they kidnapped the girl.

Later, Dharmarajan took her to Metro lodge near the Kottayam bus stand where, he told her, his mother was staying. Dharmarajan raped her first on January, 16, 1996, it said.

The next morning she was taken to Ernakulam and thereafter to different places including Kumili, Cumbum, Palakkad and Vanimel at Kozhikode, Muvattupuzha, Aluva, Theni, Kanyakumari, Thiruvananthapuram, Kuruvilangad and other places before freeing her on February 26, 1996.

On February 25, 1996, she was subjected to gangrape by four accused while on February 10, she was gangraped by four. It was Dharmarajan and another accused Cherian alias Cheriachan who gang raped her first on January 19, 1996. Another day, five persons gangraped her, the DGP pointed out. Out of the eight incidents she was subjected to gang rape two times at the Kumili rest house. The argument of prosecution is progressing in the appeal filed by the accused.

The accused, who have been convicted and sentenced by the Sessions Court, were acquitted by a Division Bench of the High Court in 2005. However, the Supreme Court had set aside the acquittals and asked the High Court to hear the case afresh.

A Division Bench comprising Justice K T Sankaran and Justice M L Joseph Francis is considering the appeal.

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