PATHANAMTHITTA: A total of 27 persons, including four juveniles, have been arrested over the last three days in connection with the sexual abuse of a teenage girl in Pathanamthitta.
A special investigation team (SIT) was constituted on Sunday to intensify the investigation into the case, allegedly involving over 60 people who sexually abused the girl from when she was 13 years of age. The SIT, led by the Pathanamthitta deputy superintendent of police (DySP) Nandakumar, will be supervised by district police chief V G Vinod Kumar.
The team comprises 25 officers from various police stations, including Pathanamthitta inspector D Shibukumar, Elavumthitta inspector T K Vinod Krishnan, Ranni inspector Jibu John, and women’s police station sub inspector K R Shemi Mol. Meanwhile, nine FIRs were registered with Elavumthitta police station and an additional case in Pathanamthitta on Sunday, officials said. According to police, the investigation may extend to more locations and possibly to areas outside the district.
Taking cognisance suo motu of the incident, Kerala State Women’s Commission chairperson P Satidevi has instructed the district police chief to submit a detailed report within a week.
Acts of cruelty
Investigations have revealed that several of the accused were introduced to the victim at Pathanamthitta private bus stand, from where she was taken to multiple locations and subjected to abuse.
On Saturday evening, six accused were nabbed from the Ranni area, based on the statement of one of the perpetrators, Deepu, who the survivor had met on Instagram while studying in plus two last year. Deepu and his friends took the girl to a rubber plantation in Ranni Mandirampadi and raped her inside a car last year.
Woman IPS officer should lead probe, says Satheesan
P’Thitta: Expressing shock over the incident in which over 60 people sexually abused a dalit minor girl in the district, Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan urged for a special investigation led by a woman IPS officer. “The incident has come as a shocker to the conscience of the community. A foolproof investigation, ensuring that no culprit in the case walks free, is necessary. For this, the government should appoint a special investigation team led by a female IPS officer,” Satheesan said. He said it is frightening to know that the victim’s parents, teachers and classmates did not know about the harassment which continued for five years.