POCSO victim sexually molested, battling for life in Kochi hospital; male friend arrested

CHOTTANIKKARA: Police arrested a Thalayolaparambu native in the case of a POCSO case victim found unconscious in her house. It is said that the culprit sexually assaulted the POCSO case victim. As per reports, the arrested Thalayolaparambu native Anoop is a close friend of the victim. He will be produced in court on Thursday.

The doctors said that the 20-year-old woman, who is now in a private hospital in Kochi, is on ventilator support and is not responding to medicines. There is a serious head injury, a deep cut on the neck and bruises all over her body. On Saturday night, the police had received CCTV footage of Anoop coming to the girl's house with another friend.

Anoop reached the girl's house at 10.10 pm on Saturday and returned at 4 am on Sunday. Later that afternoon, the girl was found half-naked under the bed at her house. The victim was adopted by a childless couple from a convent in Pala 20 years ago. After the death of her ex-serviceman father, the victim, a former football player was living with her mother in the house.

The mother was not at home on the day of the incident. The mother told the police that Anoop used to beat the girl in front of her. It is revealed that Anoop also used to physically torture the victim's mother. Locals have earlier questioned Anoop, who used to frequent the house at odd hours. About 20 families complained to the Chottanikkara police after he threatened and abused them.

Anoop stated to the police that he came on Saturday night after getting drunk, brutally raped the girl and then beat her up. The girl then attempted suicide by hanging. Anoop saw the act lately, he cut the rope and brought the girl down. Fearing that the girl died in the act, Anoop fled the house. According to police, Anoop is a history-sheeter involved in ganja cases in the past.