MALAPPURAM: An 18-year-old survivor of gang rape died by suicide at her house in Thenhipalam in Tirurangadi taluk of Malappuram district.
The girl had been living with her mother and younger brother at a rented house in the area for the past several months. She chose to take her life when her mother went out to a nearby bus stop to help her son catch a bus to school on Wednesday.
The mother said when she returned to the house, she asked her daughter to come out of her room and have food. But the door was locked from inside. The mother also rang the girl's mobile phone, but she did not respond. "When I looked through the window, I saw her hanging inside. Later, with the help of the neighbours, I broke into the room and rushed her to the hospital," the mother said. However, the doctors at the hospital declared the girl brought dead.
The girl is a survivor in three cases under POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) cases. She was sexually assaulted by six men who include her relatives. The POCSO cases were registered in Feroke and Kondotty police stations. Not all the accused were arrested in the case.
According to reports, the tragic incident came to light after the survivor was married off and she narrated her trauma to her husband.
On Thursday, the girl's mother slammed the government officials and the police for failing to support the survivor. "I had no one to depend on. I had to take care of my children on my own. No one has supported me to raise my children. I informed the government officials that my daughter often tries to cut her veins and swallow some pills. Yet, no one supported my daughter with counseling. I asked some government officials to take her to some women's homes. They did not listen to my plea," she said.
The mother also said her relatives, involved in the POCSO case, asked the girl to withdraw the case against them. Meanwhile, despite repeated attempts, Kozhikode CWC chairman Thomas could not be reached over her official phone number. Protests are brewing up against the CWC Kozhikode for failing to protest the POCSO case survivor.