PATHANAMTHITTA: Fifteen more people were arrested on Saturday in the case in which a Dalit girl was subjected to sexual abuse by 64 individuals in five years. With this, the total number of people arrested in the case has reached 20. The girl was subjected to gang rape as well. The accused have been booked under the POCSO Act and SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act.

Two of the arrested individuals in the case are Plus Two students, with one being a 17-year-old. Among those arrested are a recently married man, another man set to be engaged next week, two fish vendors and three auto drivers. The police are continuing to record the statement of the minor girl, who is currently in the custody of the Pathanamthitta Women Police. The number of accused is expected to rise. An identification parade will be conducted with the accused in front of the victim.

Meanwhile, the National Women’s Commission, which has intervened in the case suo moto, has instructed the state police chief to submit a report within three days. The State Women’s Commission has also taken up the case suo moto.

The girl was trapped in a large network that included her boyfriend and his friends. A gang operating around the Pathanamthitta private bus stand also sexually abused the girl. Many used to pick up the girl from the bus stand and later drop her back near her house in the evening.

Upon questioning the accused, the police received information that the girl was taken to various places and subjected to gang rape. When the girl was 13 years old, the first accused Subin, who was her boyfriend, sent her lewd messages and pictures through mobile phone. He obtained her nude photos and videos. He took her on a bike to a rubber plantation and assaulted her, recording the incident on his phone. On another day, he picked her up from her home early in the morning, took her to a shed, and assaulted her again. After this, he introduced her to his friends, who gang-raped her at various locations. The abuse continued from 2019 onwards.

The case has now extended to the jurisdictions of Pathanamthitta, Elavumthitta, Malayalappuzha, Konni, Aranmula, and Ranni police stations. The minor girl used to chat with the accused at night using her father’s mobile phone. The current investigation focuses on 32 individuals identified through information retrieved from the phone.

The abuse was revealed during counselling conducted at the educational institution where the victim studied. The investigation is being led by Pathanamthitta DySP S. Nandakumar.

People arrested on Saturday

Elavumthitta natives Shamnad (20), Afzal (21). Ashiq (20) (brother of Afzal), Nidhin Prasad (21), Abhinav (18), Karthik (18), Kannappan (Sudheesh - 27) Nishad (Appu - 31) and a 17-year-old minor were arrested on Saturday in three cases registered at the Pathanamthitta police station.