Kerala girl's serial sexual abuse case: Kudumbashree campaign, father's phone help nail 40 suspects

The shocking details of the serial sexual abuse of a minor girl in Kerala's Pathanamthitta district were unravelled by a community counsellor who works as part of the Kudumbashree 'Snehitha' campaign.

The survivor had volunteered to open up during one of the field-level campaigns by the community counsellor. Sensing the gravity of the matter, the counsellor promptly informed the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), Pathanamthitta.

Coordinated work by the government machinery eventually helped the survivor share her five years of ordeal during which she was subjected to repeated sexual abuse and gang rape which not only included her friends but also people who were total strangers to her.

The survivor's mother had accompanied her to the CWC, and her father was told that she was in a training camp. The survivor has been active in sports. CWC counsellor and psychologist sat with the survivor through multiple sessions before a report was finalised.

An additional report was also submitted to the district police chief, Pathanamthitta. During the counselling sessions, it was known that the accused contacted her via her father's mobile phone, mostly at night. The survivor had stored the names of the accused and their contact numbers on her father's mobile phone.

The suspects mostly include her batchmates, friends and residents of the colony where the survivor resides. The counselling sessions went on for two weeks, and during this period, she was being taken care of in a shelter home. CWC representatives said that the names of 40 suspects were identified from her father's phone, and details were handed over to police.

Some of them hail from other districts. It is suspected that the accused took advantage of a minor girl who hailed from impoverished circumstances. Even acquaintances and friends of the accused also got involved in sexual abuse after videos and images were circulated among them. A few suspects are minors, and others are aged between 20 and 40, according to the CWC representatives.

Pathanamthitta DySP Nandakumar S said the statement of the survivor is being collected and details are being verified. The officials said they were making sure not to give any stress to the survivor.

Initial probe has revealed that one of the residents in her colony was the first to abuse her, and videos were circulated in his network. Meanwhile, local residents have been jolted by the nature and scale of sexual abuse that happened in their vicinity.

Local body representatives said they had never come to know of such an incident and they were still coming to terms with details being revealed as part of the case.