Father, friends held for sexual abuse of 12-year old

A 12-year old girl hailing from Malappuram district in North Kerala has been allegedly sexually abused by several persons including her father.

The police arrested the girl's father and two others and many more were also suspected to have sexually abused the child over the last two years.

The incident took place near Tirurangadi, about 15 kilometres from Malappuram town. It was suspected that the father put the girl in the flesh trade, along with her mother. The victim is the lone child of her parents.

According to the Tirurangadi police, the girl had stated that she was being sexually abused by father and many of his friends from her age of ten. The victim is a seventh-grade student at a nearby school. She revealed the matter to her teachers during a counselling session in the school and the authorities reported it to the Childline.

All the accused sexually abused the child at her house. They used to come to the house in the pretext of consuming alcohol with the victim's father, who earlier worked as a bus driver. The victim's father and mother are now unemployed and had no other sources of income. Hence, it was suspected that the girl was being put in the flesh trade. Shewas also absent from school on several days, Childline sources said.

The girl was shifted to a girl's home and is being given counselling and medical treatment.

Police suspect that the girl's father was having extramarital affairs too.