Wayanad man held for threatening and sexually abusing tribal woman
The accused, exploiting the victim's mental instability, tied a 'sacred thread' to her wrist, claiming a saint blessed it.
The accused, exploiting the victim's mental instability, tied a 'sacred thread' to her wrist, claiming a saint blessed it.
The accused, exploiting the victim's mental instability, tied a 'sacred thread' to her wrist, claiming a saint blessed it.
Wayanad: The Thirunelly police on Monday arrested a man for repeatedly raping a 43-year-old tribal woman from the Panavally tribal settlement. The arrested, Varghese (52), a resident of Thirunelly, is accused of subjecting the woman to months of sexual abuse under threats of violence.
The police said Varghese abused the woman during visits to her house when she was alone. The accused, exploiting the victim's mental instability, tied a 'sacred thread' to her wrist, claiming a saint blessed it. He convinced her that untying the thread would lead to her death and forbade her from taking medication for her mental illness.
The woman, who lives with her son, refrained from reporting the abuse initially due to fears of ostracism within her community. When she attempted to escape one day, Varghese allegedly dragged her back into the house, assaulted her, and threatened to kill her if she resisted.
The victim eventually sought police help with the assistance of social activists, prompting action against the accused. Social activist Sunil Matathil alleged that the police delayed the investigation and were initially reluctant to register the case.
Meanwhile, the Minister for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Welfare, O R Kelu, directed the police to ensure justice for the survivor. ''Such inhuman perpetrators of sexual exploitation will not be allowed to escape justice at any cost,'' the minister stated.