WOMAN LOCKED UP IN KOCHI FLAT, RAPED; ACCUSED ON RUN

A 24-year-old woman was allegedly locked up in a flat in Kochi, Kerala, and tortured and sexually assaulted for about a month early this year. She managed to escape from the flat and alerted the police. The woman said no action has been taken against the accused.

The issue came to light after one of the woman’s friends released her photos showing scars and burn marks on her body. Police said the accused, a businessman, has been absconding since the woman filed the complaint and later moved the high court for anticipatory bail. The court on Tuesday directed the police to file details of the case by Friday and prompted them to constitute a special investigation team.

Kochi police commissioner C Nagaraju said all efforts were on to nab the accused.

In her complaint, the woman said she was confined to the flat for 22 days and tortured, sexually assaulted, and forced to drink urine. The accused also allegedly inflicted burn injuries on her. The woman said she escaped from the flat when he went out to fetch food. She said she dreaded filing a police complaint as the accused shot her photos and videos on several occasions.

The state women’s rights panel has taken up the case and directed the police to investigate the matter in detail. It has pulled up the police for delay in investigating the case and directed them to provide her protection. The woman earlier complained she was under pressure to withdraw the complaint.