Kerala woman chops off godman's penis to resist rape attempt

A 23-year-old woman nearly chopped a man’s penis off, while resisting his attempt to rape her, in Thiruvananthapuram late on Friday night. The man, identified as Sreehari aka Gangeshananda Theerthapada (54), claims to be a spiritual healer and is a former inmate of the Panmana Ashram in Kollam district.

He is admitted in the Government Medical College and Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram and his condition is stable after a surgery, sources in the hospital said. According to the woman’s statement recorded by the police, the “god-man” has been raping her since she was a minor, and has continued the abuse for about eight years. The incident happened at the woman’s home in Kannammoola here. Preliminary reports said Sreehari made sexual advances at the woman who, in retaliation, assaulted him with a knife.
 
City Police Commissioner G Sparjan Kumar said the woman fled her home after the incident and approached the police to record her statement.

Sreehari is learnt to have been known to the woman’s family for many years. He became acquainted with the family during the late 2000s in connection with a land dispute in Kannammoola and has since been influential on the family. The woman’s father is ailing and Sreehari is reported to have offered help to the family in getting over their troubles.

“He was associated with the family and used to conduct pujas for them at their home. He was so influential that the family took important decisions only after consulting him. The girl was scared to expose him since he was a god-man and she didn’t discuss the repeated incidents of rape even with her family,” a police official investigating the case told Deccan Herald.

Pettah police have registered a case under section 376 (rape) of the IPC and provisions of the Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, responding to reporters’ queries on the incident called it a “brave act” by the woman.

A hospital spokesperson said Sreehari was brought in at about 12.40 am on Saturday, with 90% of his penis severed. An emergency surgery was conducted by doctors in the urology and plastic surgery divisions.

A representative of the Panmana Ashram said the ashram did not have ties with Sreehari since he left its premises about 15 years ago. “He had joined us as a vedic student. After leaving the ashram, he has come here once or twice,” she told Deccan Herald.