THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Police have taken into custody three persons for allegedly sexually abusing a class 8 girl in Nedumangad. Two of the accused are a close relative and a 16-year-old friend of the girl. The close relative had subjected the girl to sexual abuse when she was studying in class 4.

On Thursday, the girl was on her way to school when the boy and his mother's friend Santhosh (36) offered her a lift in the van. Following this, they took her to Santhosh's house and subjected her to sexual abuse. Santhosh had left the house after locking the boy and the girl in the house. He later returned and took the two in the van before abandoning the girl at a nearby junction. Police have registered a case against Santhosh for helping the boy sexually abuse the minor girl.

The incident came to light after the family of the girl filed a missing complaint at the police station. The police investigation revealed that the girl was subjected to brutal sexual abuse. Following this, Santhosh and the boy were arrested. Later, when the woman police recorded her statement, the girl revealed that she had been sexually abused by a relative in the past. She said that she was molested twice by a 50-year-old close relative while in fourth standard. The police then arrested the relative on the basis of the girl's statement. The 16-year-old was shifted to a juvenile home. The other two were produced in court and remanded.