The Vithura police arrested two youths for allegedly raping two minor tribal girls on Monday.
The sisters, aged 16 and 14 years, were subjected to the torture at a time when the tribal areas including Vithura and Peringamala have come under the close watch of law enforcers in the wake of multiple cases of sexual abuse and suicide reported among young girls.
The police identified the accused as Vinod, alias Renju, 32, of Peppara, and Sarath, 23, of Kilimanoor. Vinod, who is relative of the survivors’ mother, used to frequent their house. He also used to work as a rubber tapper with the victims’ parents. He exploited the freedom to allegedly rape the sisters and threaten them against revealing the crime to their parents.
Later, he brought his friend Sarath to the house and enabled him to sexually abuse the sisters.
Abducted
The ordeal came to light two days ago when Vinod purportedly abducted the elder sister and took her to his house in Nagaroor.
While her parents rushed to the house and freed her, the accused fled from the area. He was apprehended by a team led by Vithura Inspector station house officer (ISHO) S. Sreejith from a rubber plantation in Pathanamthitta where his friend used to work. Sarath was subsequently caught on the basis of information provided by the survivors.
The accused have been charged under provisions of the Indian Penal Code, Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act and Juvenile Justice Act.
The girls have been produced before the Child Welfare Committee for counselling and to ensure safe accommodation, the police said.
