Minor girl gang-raped by migrant workers in Kochi

In a gruesome incident, a minor girl in Kochi was gang-raped by a group of migrant workers hailing from Uttar Pradesh for around six months.

While three of the accused were already nabbed by the police, three others are suspected to have fled to Uttar Pradesh. Hence the police was seeking the help of their UP counterparts to nab them.

The girl, aged 14, was staying with her grandparents at Manjummel near Eloor in Kochi city. The accused were staying close to her house.

It was during the recent counselling to school children that the victim, who is an eighth-standard student, revealed the ordeal she had been facing for about five months.

The girl was also quite depressed. She said that three of the accused initially sexually abused her during the lockdown days in March by threatening her when there was no one else in her house. Later they forcefully took her to some other places and sexually abused till earlier this month. As the accused threatened of dire consequences, she did not reveal it to anyone.

Police sources said that the girl was subjected to medical examination and three already held were produced before the court and remanded. They were identified as Shahid 24, Farhad Khan,29, and Haneef, 28. The other three had fled to UP and efforts were being made to nab them. A police team would be leaving for UP as part of the probe.

Kochi city assistant commissioner of police K Lalji is investigating the case. Various sections of POCSO, including gang rape, were invoked against the accused.

All the accused were engaged in casual jobs, mostly in the construction sector.