Idukki: AICC and KPPC leaders who took part in the protest rally organised on Sunday afternoon in the Vandiperiyar vowed to bring justice to the family of the six-year-old girl who was raped and murdered at Churakkulam estate in Vandiperiyar.

AICC general secretary K C Venugopal who inaugurated the protest march named ‘Sthree Jwala’ and the event ‘Makale Mappu’ (Daughter, Pardon Us) said that the state government which holds the obligation to ensure maximum punishment for the accused was acting as his god father.

“The girl was raped and brutally murdered and the accused was later acquitted. Moreover, the victim’s father and grandfather are being ruthlessly attacked by a relative of the accused. There is no doubt that the government and CPM are protecting the accused and his relatives. Only with the support of the government, one can dare to attack the victim’s family,” Venugopal said.  

He said that the incident reminded him of the notorious Hathras rape and murder of a young Dalit woman in Uttar Pradesh in 2020 where the state government and the cops faced allegations of high-handedness. 

“Rather than preparing a panel of prominent criminal case lawyers, a lawyer close to CPM was chosen as a special public prosecutor and that along with the lackadaisical investigation which was flawed from the very beginning have led to the acquittal of the lone accused in the case,” Venugopal said.

He said that the Congress party and its members were well hell-bent on ensuring that justice was served in the Vandiperiyar case.

Opposition leader V D Satheesan who was the chief guest at the event said that the very instance of the uncle of the acquitted accused in the case reportedly running into the CPM area committee after attacking the father and grandfather of the victim is proof that the Marxist party is protecting the accused and his relatives. “This reminds me of the Unnao rape case in UP in 2017 (where the victim’s father was allegedly harassed by the government).   

AICC general secretary (in charge of Kerala) Deepa Dasmunshi thanked all the women party workers who took part in the rally in black attire. He urged congress workers to fight against the alleged hooliganism of CPM. Women members led by Thrikkakara  MLA Uma Thomas released black balloons at the event.

Congress leader V P Sajeendran who spoke at the meeting said that there were several cases similar to the Vandiperiyar in the district and the culprits are yet to be arrested. “Three years ago a similar case was registered in Gundumalai of ward one of Devikulam Panchayat. The accused, who has links with CPM has not yet been arrested. A week before, a 10-year-old child was dragged through the tea plantation and was brutally tortured and the culprit is still at large,” he noted.