Friends of survivor held in Poopara gang rape case

Rajakkad: Police have arrested two friends of the 15-year-old girl, who was gang raped at a tea plantation at Poopara in Idukki district on May 29.

Madhya Pradesh residents Maheshkumar Yadav, 25, and Khem Singh, 25, were arrested by the Rajakkad police from their place of residence at Kajanapara. They have been remanded by the court. With this, eight people have been arrested in the case.

Maheshkumar Yadav works at a cardamom plantation here. After befriending the survivor, Maheshkumar took her to the place where Khem Singh stayed and abused her. After that incident, Khem Singh became friendly with the girl.

Khem Singh, along with the survivor, went to Poopara last Sunday, and tried to assault her at the tea plantation. But then, a six-member gang of Poopara residents turned up at the spot, chased Khem Singh away and sexually assaulted her.

Though Khem Singh and Maheshkumar Yadav were taken into custody soon after the incident, the survivor did not give statements against them. The police assured them that they were not accused in the case but put them under surveillance.

The survivor, a native of West Bengal, is now under the care of the child protection unit. During counselling, provided with the help of a bilingual social activist, she opened up about the incidents, involving Khem Singh and Maheshkumar Yadav.

On the directives of SP R Karuppasamy, a probe team led by Munnar DySP K R Manoj nabbed the duo.

Survivor cannot read or write

Child protection officer M G Geetha said that the survivor has not even received primary school education. She only knows her mother tongue. She does not even know how to read or write her own name. Efforts are on to help her return to normal life through counselling. She is unlikely to be sent back to her parents immediately.