The father and the grandfather of the victim in the Vandiperiyar rape and murder case were on Saturday allegedly attacked by a relative of the youth acquitted in the case.
The Vandiperiyar police arrested Palraj, 46, a relative of Arjun who was acquitted last month in the POCSO case.
The police said the incident occurred around 10.30 a.m. at Pasumala Junction, near Vandiperiyar town. Palraj attacked them with a knife following an altercation. They were initially admitted to the Vandiperiyar community health centre but the victim’s father was later shifted to the Medical College Hospital, Kottayam.
Though the accused escaped after the incident, the Peerumade police arrested and handed him over to the Vandiperiyar police.
A special fast track POSCO court in Kattappana had on December 14 acquitted the youth accused of raping and murdering a six-year-old girl at Vandiperiyar on June 30, 2021.
Communist Party of India district secretary K. Salimkumar demanded that the government ensure protection for the family of the victim.
Oppn. flays attack
The Opposition termed the attack on the victim’s father shameful and a blot on Kerala’s image.
Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan alleged that the police had turned a deaf ear to the family’s plea for protection following threats from the family of the acquitted youth. He said the police and the prosecution had conspired to shield the youth. The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee would organise a programme at Vandiperiyar on Sunday to express solidarity with the victim’s family, he said.
Condemning the incident, AICC general secretary K.C. Venugopal said criminals were roaming freely in Kerala while the police remained helpless.
Bharatiya Janata Party State president K.Surendran said the attack showed the extent to which the law and order situation in Kerala had deteriorated. “First, justice was denied to the family of the girl . The prosecution and the police joined hands to protect the accused because of his political affiliation. And now, the victim’s father has been attacked by the relative of the accused,” he said.
(with inputs from Thiruvananthapuram Bureau)
