KOLLAM: Police have booked four youths under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act for the abduction of a 14-year-old girl from Ochira. Muhammad Roshan, Pyari, Ananthu and Bipin are the four accused in the case. Police have arrested three accused, except the main accused Roshan.
Pyari, who is said to have planned the abduction, was arrested on Wednesday. Police have charged him under Kerala Anti-Social Activities Prevention Act (KAPA) as well. Roshan and the kidnapped girl continue to remain untraceable.
Following some credible leads, a special team under sub-inspector Sivakumar reached Bangaluru to find the girl. Ochira sub-inspector B Sabu said tracing the accused became difficult after the accused switched off their mobile when they realised that police were trailing them. The kidnappers abandoned the car used for crime at Kayamkulam. A police team went to Ernakulam based on mobile tower location of one of the accused. But the gang gave them the slip.
The four-member gang kidnapped the daughter of nomadic couple from Rajasthan at Ochira on Monday night. The gang, which came in a car, barged into family’s shanty on the roadside and abducted the girl after assaulting her parents. Meanwhile, the girl’s father alleged Ochira police did not intervene when the girl was subjected to harassment in the past.
Instead of booking the culprits, the police advised the family to dress-up the girls like boys to avoid further trouble, he alleged. However, refuting the allegation, police officers said that the girl had eloped with the main accused a year ago and was made to return due to their intervention. Kerala Women’s Commission and Kerala State Human Rights Commission have taken suo-moto cases on the issue and sought reports from police.
Extending their support to the family, Kollam DCC held a protest march towards Oachira police station seeking justice to the family. Actor-turned politician and BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP Suresh Gopi, visited the girl’s family. He assured support to the parents and later spoke with the investigating officers on phone. Yuva Morcha organised a candle vigil in various parts of the state. Navas, father of the main accused and a local CPI leader, said he would not try to protect his son if he is found guilty.