Balussery: A spate of child abuse cases has been reported from Kerala of late. In the latest shocker, a six-year-old girl of migrant labourers was sexually assaulted at her ramshackle house at Valliyoth in Unnikulam area of Kozhikode district.

The child, who suffered grievous injuries in the brutal assault, is under treatment at the Intensive Care Unit of the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital.

Her condition has improved after surgery, police said.

One person has been reportedly taken into custody for questioning based on preliminary information, according to sources.

The assailant apparently knew the children were alone at home at night. Only the minor girl and her two younger brothers were home when the incident happened. Her parents, who are quarry workers, got into an altercation on Wednesday evening. Subsequently, her mother left for a relative's house. Their father went in search of the mother around 10:15pm. The child was reportedly assaulted during this time.

Neighbours had seen the girl crying in front of the house around 11pm. Her younger brother was also seen next to her. The youngest brother, 1.5 years, was inside the house then.

Their father came to know about the incident only after he returned home.

The girl was first taken to a private hospital and then shifted to the Medical College Hospital. The child was unconscious when she was admitted to the hospital.

Senior police officers, including rural SP A Sreenivas, arrived at their home. Balussery SHO Jeevan George is probing the case.

The non-Keralite family had arrived in the southern state about two years ago. The three children and the parents lived in the house lacking proper doors.