ERNAKULAM: Shocking cases of child rape continue to surface in central Kerala, with two incidents reported from Aluva near Ernakulam within a span of 35 days, raising serious concerns about the safety and security of our daughters in the state of Kerala. The most recent disturbing incident took place in Aluva, where an eight-year-old girl, the daughter of a migrant worker, was abducted, sexually assaulted, and left in a desolate location.

The Police apprehended Christil, also known as Satheesh, 36, a native of Chenkal, Parassala, Thiruvananthapuram, who was found hiding beneath a bridge in Aluva. The girl, who was asleep inside her home, was abducted and sexually assaulted in the early hours of Thursday. The incident occurred around 2 a.m. while the girl’s relatives were asleep.

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Local residents discovered the girl in a paddy field in Chathanpuram, near Aluva, with injuries to her private parts. They immediately rushed her to the Government Medical College, Kalamassery, where she is responding well to treatment, according to the police.

Around 2 a.m. on September 7th, Sukumaran, a witness, spotted the victim with the suspect and promptly alerted the police. The police arrived at the scene, but the suspect had fled. Subsequently, the police obtained CCTV footage of the accused, who had been identified by the victim and witnesses.

“A tip led us to discover a person hiding under the bridge in Periyar, near Aluva. The police team reached the spot and arrested him. The police have taken him into custody for a thorough interrogation,” said a police source.

On July 29th, a similar incident occurred where a five-year-old migrant girl was raped and murdered in Aluva. In connection with this case, the police arrested Asafak Alam, a 28-year-old native of Bihar.

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According to the annual report of the Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights for 2022-23, out of the total 4,582 cases reported in the southern state under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act in 2022, survivors’ homes were the locations of the crime in 1,004 instances.

The report also reveals that, out of the 4,582 reported POCSO cases, children were subjected to abuse in their own homes in 1,004 cases. Incidents of molestation occurred in schools (133 cases), in vehicles (102 cases), hotels/lodges (99 cases), religious institutions (60 cases), hospitals (29 cases), and various other locations. The total number of survivors in the 4,582 POCSO cases reported in the state last year was 4,642.

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