The Thiruvananthapuram Rural police have nabbed three people for allegedly gang raping a mentally challenged minor girl.
Those apprehended by the Pallickal police include her mother’s live-in partner.
The police identified the accused as Sugathakurup, 62, of Puliyoorkonam, Shiburajan, 40, of Madavoor, and Jayan, 32, of Poredom in Kollam. Their arrests were recorded on Thursday.
The trauma faced by the eight-year old survivor, who is a Class 3 student, came to light when she displayed notable behavioural abnormalities in her school. She has been undergoing education under the Inclusive Education for Differently abled (IED) project. On being subjected to medical examination, it came to light that she has been sexually assaulted.
According to Pallickal station house officer P. Sreejith, the child later recounted her ordeal during the last two years and also identified the accused as the perpetrators. Sugathakurup and her mother have been in a live-in relationship for nearly five years and were not legally married. The other accused used to frequent the house for liquor parties.
The survivor’s mother, who has been living separated from her husband, was apparently aware of the crime. However, the police were yet to charge her. Her elder son lived with her husband. Both Sugathakurup and the survivor’s mother are daily-wage labourers.
With the trio being booked under Section 376(d) (gang rape), along with provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, the case has been handed over to the Attingal Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP).
The child has been accommodated at the one-stop centre monitored by the Women and Child Development Department in the city under the directions from the Child Welfare Committee.
