Crime

18-year-old Dalit athlete raped by 62 men; 14 arrested

Pathanamthitta: Kerala Police have arrested 14 persons and registered five cases following allegations by an 18-year-old Dalit girl that she was sexually abused by 62 men over the past several years.

The girl, a district-level athlete, disclosed that the abuse began when she was 13 and continued as she attended various sports camps, Indian Express reported.

The issue came to light after volunteers from the Kerala Mahila Samakhya Society met her during a field visit and informed the district Child Welfare Committee (CWC).

According to Pathanamthitta Superintendent of Police V G Vinod Kumar, a detailed statement is being recorded in the presence of the girl’s mother, and further cases will be registered. “Action will continue based on her statements,” he said.

The accused have been booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO), and the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Advocate N Rajeev, head of the CWC, said the girl narrated her ordeal during counseling sessions.

“She opened up before a psychologist and revealed that the abuse began when she was 13. Her family was unaware of the incidents,” he said, as per Indian Express.

One of the accused, aged 21, is alleged to have sent obscene photos and messages to the girl before raping her in a deserted rubber plantation when she was 16. He reportedly recorded the act and later involved his friends in further assaults.

Police have seized mobile phones from the suspects and are investigating the involvement of others. Some of the accused are already facing criminal charges, including POCSO violations and culpable homicide.

The girl has been moved to a shelter under the CWC for her protection. Authorities continue to investigate, with more arrests likely in the case.

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