Two cops among five held for raping minor

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Police in Kerala have arrested five people, including two policemen, who allegedly raped a minor girl from Alappuzha for over nine months, officials said on Wednesday.

The police arrested the girl’s relative, the key accused in the case, and four others on Tuesday based on the 16-year-old schoolgirl’s statement.

KG Lyju, a sub-inspector on probation at Mararikulam police station in Alappuzha district, and civil police officer Nelson Thomas were among those held for allegedly raping the girl.

The arrested also include two men from Ernakulam, the police added.

“We have registered cases under different sections of the POCSO Act and Juvenile Justice Act. More arrests are likely,” Alappuzha district superintendent of police K Surendran said.

Surendran said a special investigation team has been constituted under the district’s deputy superintendent of police PV Baby to probe the case.

Police said she was a frequent visitor to the victim’s house and exploited the poor economic condition of her family. They said the girl’s father is disabled and mother is mentally ill.

The girl’s relative used to take the victim, a school drop-out, during her trips to various places after gaining the confidence of her parents. She presented the minor to several men and accepted money in return.

The incident came to light after the girl’s neighbours heard her arguing with the woman and alerted the police. The girl refused to open up but later she told a woman police officer that she was being sexually assaulted for the last nine months.

A woman police officer said the parents were not aware of the plight of the minor, adding that they did not suspect anything wrong since the woman was a close relative of the girl.

The police officer, who is a part of the investigation team, also said that the girl can’t remember some of the accused who assaulted her, but the SIT suspect more than 15 people are involved in the racket.