MALAPPURAM: A Pocso case survivor committed suicide in the district triggering widespread criticism and protests against the department of woman and child development and the police for failing to protect her. The 18-year-old girl killed herself in her house in Thenhipalam. She has been living with her mother and younger brother in a rented house in the area for the past six months. The incident occurred when her mother went out of the house on Wednesday. The girl, a survivor of six Pocso cases, was sexually assaulted by people including her relatives.
The girl’s mother said the survivor was under pressure from relatives to withdraw complaints against the culprits. “No one supported me to raise my children. I informed officials that my daughter often tries to cut her veins and swallow some pills to commit suicide. Yet, no one helped my daughter with counselling. I also asked the officials to take my daughter to some shelter homes. They have never listened to my plea. The police were never helpful.”
In March 2021, five Pocso cases were registered in the Feroke police station and one in the Kondotty police station. The sexual abuse case came to light after the officials with Childline Kozhikode counselled the girl. Feroke police said seven out of the eight culprits in the cases have so far been arrested. Meanwhile, protest is brewing up against the child welfare committee (CWC) in Kozhikode and the police for failing to follow up on the case after they had sent the girl back to her house.
CWC, police should feel ashamed: Activist
Women’s rights activist Usha Punathil said the CWC and the police should be ashamed of themselves for failing to protect the girl. “The CWC is responsible to keep the Pocso survivors in a safe place. In this case, it is clear that the CWC did not consider the consequences of sending the girl back to a rented house with her mother and younger brother.
How can anyone think that an 18-yearold Pocso survivor will be safe with her mother and younger brother in a rented house? It must have been an insensible move from the CWC. The district child protection officer has also failed to visit the house of the girl regularly to ensure that she is safe there.” She said the CWC should be extremely careful when they send Pocso survivors back to their relatives.
“In the Pandikkad Pocso case, the CWC Malappuram sent the survivor back to her relatives three times. Each time, she faced sexual abuse from several people from the locality. The CWC’s misjudgement led the girl to face sexual abuse from more than 50 people,” she alleged. Meanwhile, a source with the CWC said that they did not get a report from the police about the vulnerable circumstances of the girl.
“We only received a copy of the FIR in the case. The CWC will act only on the report from the police.” The clarification sparked fresh criticisim from the protestors who termed it as “insensible”. They urged the state government to give training to the police to handle sensitive Pocso cases.
Didn’t get report from police: CWC
An official with the CWC said they did not get a report from the police about the vulnerable circumsta-nces of the girl. “We only received a copy of the FIR in the case. The CWC will act only on the report from the police.” The clarification sparked criticism from the protestors.