Kerala Police have managed to arrest 57 of the 59 accused in the horrific, years-long sexual abuse of an 18-year-old Dalit girl in Pathanamthitta district. The case has shocked the community as it involved multiple perpetrators who allegedly exploited and abused the victim for several years.
The final arrest took place on Sunday morning when a 25-year-old man was detained from his residence, District Police Chief VG Vinod Kumar said. The 18-year-old victim bravely came forward and revealed that she had been sexually abused by as many as 62 individuals over five years starting when she was just 13 years old.
The case was brought to the fore after her teachers noted considerable changes in her behavior and presented their complaints before the District Child Welfare Committee. After the counseling sessions, the victim disclosed all the gruesome details of the incident to the committee, and subsequently, they called the police department. On 10 January 2025, a case was filed at the Ilavumthitta police station.
District Police Chief Kumar said that 57 people were arrested in the case of the abuse, which was possible only due to a detailed investigation. However, two accused are still absconding, as they are said to be staying abroad. The SIT is leading the investigation under the headship of woman IPS officer S Ajitha Beegam.
According to Kumar, based on the statements of the victim, 30 cases have been lodged at four police stations in the district. Further, the probe also revealed that five of the accused were minors at the time of committing the abuse.
Terrifying Pattern Of Abuse
According to police investigations, many of the accused had picked her up from a private bus stand in the district. The girl was then forced into vehicles and taken to different places where she was sexually assaulted. In her statement, she said she had been gang-raped at least five times, including an assault inside a car and at the Pathanamthitta General Hospital in January 2024.
One of the most disturbing incidents involved a youth who had contacted the girl through Instagram. He took her to a rubber plantation in Ranni, where he, along with three other men, raped her last year.
District Police Chief Kumar assured that the investigation was moving on well. The aim would be to expedite the investigation, complete it, and then file the charge sheet as early as possible. The authorities also said they would see that all perpetrators were brought before the law for these gruesome crimes committed against the minor girl.
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