KOTTAYAM: A 19 year-old Dalit girl was raped by a goonda, while she was sleeping in her relative’s house in Changanassery on Friday night.
Police personnel, who swung into action on receiving a complaint of the victim’s relatives shortly after the incident, arrested the accused Bineesh, 26, of Thyparambil house, Changanassery. The victim, who was injured in the incident, was given medical aid at a private hospital near Changanassery, and was later discharged. Police said the incident occurred between 9.30 pm and 11 pm.
“The victim, was under the guardianship of her relatives and has been staying with them. On Friday, she went to bed by 9.30 pm. Since one of the boys in the family went out for a temple fest in night, the front door was partially locked for him to get into the house on his return. “Knowing this, Bineesh entered the house and raped the girl, tying her hands and stuffing a piece of cloth in her mouth,” said M K Shameer, SI of police, Changanassery. When the boy returned, the accused fled from the house.
However, the victim’s relatives identified the accused and lodged a complaint with the Changanassery police station.
In the ensuing combing operation, police arrested the accused from the suburbs of Changanassery town. Police said the victim had undergone psychiatric treatment earlier and had stopped medication around two years ago. Bineesh was in the goonda list of the police and was an accused in as many as 20 cases, according to the police.