PALAKKAD: The CPM is again in the dock over allegations of sexual abuse of a girl in the party office at Cherpulassery in Palakkad district. The incident came to light when the girl abandoned the newborn after giving birth, and the police investigated as to who was behind the incident. The girl, who is living in a rented house in Mannur, told the Mankara police that she had been sexually abused at the area committee office of the CPM at Cherpulassery by a youth while they were in the process of preparing a college magazine. The girl was studying in a parallel college in Cherpulassery at that time.
The Mankara police said they had recorded the complaint of the girl who has been admitted to the district hospital in Palakkad and forwarded it to the Cherpulassery police station, under which the incident occurred, for further investigations. The police have also registered a case against the girl for abandoning the newborn.
It was on March 16 that a one-day-old infant was found abandoned at Nagaripuram near Mannur with ants all over her body. It was the locals who found the girl child whose cries attracted their attention and they informed the Mankara police. The infant was then transferred to a hospital in Pathripala and later to the district hospital by the locals with the help of the police.
Meanwhile, the police have provided high security at the district hospital where the girl has been admitted. The infant is recuperating at the intensive care unit at the hospital. None of the mediapersons or the public are being allowed to meet the girl at the hospital.However, the youth when questioned by the police said he had visited the house of the girl while she was living in Cherpulassery and had not gone to the party office. The police said the youth did not belong to either the CPM or any other political party. He was managing a two-wheeler automobile workshop in Cherpulassery. The youth is reportedly in the custody of the Cherpulassery police.
During the day, the activists of the Congress, Yuva Morcha and the Youth League marched to the Cherpulassery police station demanding that all those who have been associated with the incident be arrested. The police have since deployed additional forces in the area.
It was recently that Shoranur MLA P K Sasi of the CPM was charged by a DYFI woman activist of sexually harassing her at the party office in Mannarkad . And now comes a similar incident which has pushed the CPM to defend the charges, more so coming on the eve of the elections where the opponents are ready to pounce upon any issue which comes in handy to score brownie points over their political rival.
Police record victim’s complaint
The Mankara police said they had recorded the complaint of the girl who has been admitted to the district hospital in Palakkad.
‘CPM offices being used to abuse women’
Kanhangad: The CPM’s offices are being used to sexually abuse women, alleged opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala. Every time, a party worker abused a woman, it would try to cover up instead of filing a police complaint and ensuring she got justice, he said. “A DYFI activist was sexually abused allegedly by her college mate in the CPM’s area committee office in Cherpulassery. The accused is also a DYFI activist,” he said.
The crime came to light when residents found an abandoned newborn in Mannur panchayat on March 16, he said. Probe revealed that the young mother was abused by a party worker, he said. Both the DYFI activists were in a relationship, and she said her partner promised to marry her but went back on his word, he said.
BJP refutes CPM’s charge
Palakkad:The BJP on Thursday refuted CPM Cherpulassery area secretary’s allegations that a member of the saffron party was responsible for sexually abusing the young woman who gave birth to a girl child. “The sexual abuse took place at the CPM area committee office. How can people from other parties enter there? Is the CPM operating a party office, or a lodge which is accessible to strangers?” asked BJP district secretary E Krishnadas.
He said CPM area secretary himself had admitted sexual abuse took place in the office. “The CPM cannot term it ‘election conspiracy’,” he told reporters here. “The youth responsible for the sexual abuse is in illegal custody of the police. His arrest is yet to be recorded,” Krishnadas alleged. He said BJP will use the issue in its Lok Sabha election campaign. He also asked M B Rajesh to respond to the repeated atrocities on women committed by his party men in his constituency.