Brutally assaulted a day before murder; child porn collection on mobile phone

KOLENCHERY: On Wednesday, news surfaced about the sexual harassment faced by the four-and-a-half-year-old girl, who was killed after being thrown into a river by her mother. Even a day before the murder, the child went through a brutal assault from her father’s close relative.

It is reported that the abuse had been going on for a year and a half. The arrested 35-year-old relative was remanded and lodged in the Muvattupuzha sub-jail. He testified to have abused the child several times.

The forensic surgeon at Kalamassery Medical College, who conducted the postmortem, informed the police about spotting injuries in the private parts of the child. This led to the disturbing turn of events in the case. Police covertly carried out a questioning session and three of the child’s father’s relatives were grilled. From this, the suspect was taken into custody. A detailed search of his mobile phone confirmed his sexual perversions.

A day before the incident, the suspect ensured that no one was at her house. The child’s grandfather was undergoing treatment at the Kolenchery hospital. The child’s father was also present at the hospital. With no one to take notice, the suspect slept with the child that day.

After the child's funeral, the police interrogated him at home under the pretext of taking a statement. During this time, the police seized the bedsheet, pillowcase, and clothes from the room. These were sent for forensic examination.

Many images and pornographic videos involving children were recovered from his phone, thus leaving no doubts about his strange perversions.

The suspect lived close to the child’s house along with other close relatives. The suspect used the dispute between the child’s parents to abuse her at any given time. The police received information that the child had been raped shortly after the postmortem on Tuesday evening. The police kept the house under surveillance while the child's funeral was being held.

While everyone was uncontrollably wailing at the time of the final rites, the suspect kept silent and was stoic. Later, three people, including the father's close relatives, were called to Puthenkurish station, questioned for three hours, and released.

The next day, all three were summoned and questioned again but this time. only two were released. Although he initially evaded the charge, the accused confessed to the crime after being questioned and presented with evidence. The accused is reclusive and seldom talks with others in the village. He used to drop the child at her playschool every day.

The mother of the child is not cooperating with the questioning at Chengamanadu station. The close relative, now in custody and the child’s mother will be questioned together in the coming days.