Police protection should be ensured for the girl who was sexually exploited by many in Pathanamthitta as well as her family, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) working president and Congress working committee member Kodikkunnil Suresh, MP, has said. He added that the government should come forward to take care of the family.

For impartial probe

Speaking to the media, he pointed out that there were over 60 accused in the case and that many were powerful and influential and that there could be attempts to influence or threaten the family. He said that the investigation should be total and impartial and if required, it should be handed over to a Central agency, with the consent of the family.

Mr. Suresh said that it was shocking to learn that the girl underwent serious sexual abuse even while she was in the general hospital, Pathanamthitta. He said that under the Left rule, even hospitals had become unsafe for women.

He alleged that going by Kerala Police’s history in dealing with the exploitation of Dalits, the force would be making a safe passage for the accused. The Pinarayi Vijayan government was not interested in seeking justice for the downtrodden and it could not even secure justice for the family of Madhu, the tribal youth who was mob-lynched, Mr. Suresh said.

He added that it was a matter of shame that sexual assaults against women were on the rise in Kerala. It was the dismissive manner in which the police dealt with cases and the Left government’s total disinterest in pursuing such cases to the finish that led to a spike in crimes against women, Mr. Suresh alleged.