Indian police have arrested 44 people for allegedly raping an 18-year-old girl over a five-year period in the southern Indian state of Kerala after the victim made shocking revelations to a volunteer during a gender awareness program.
The victim, an athlete belonging to the so-called lower caste community known as Dalits, told the police in a statement that she was sexually assaulted by 62 people over a period of five years.
Police have identified 58 of the men, some of whom are minors, and arrested 44 in the past two days, officials said.
“We have identified the remaining 14 and they will be arrested soon,” said PS Nand Kumar, deputy superintendent of police of Pathanamthita district where the crimes took place. Reuters.
The matter came to light when the girl reported the gang-rape to a volunteer during a gender awareness programme.
Nand Kumar, who headed the investigation, said the details of how the crimes were committed were still being investigated.
In her statement to the police, the victim said the abuse started when she was 13 when her neighbor allegedly raped her.
Local media reported that four of the accused were minors.
Under Indian law, accused in rape cases do not get immediate bail. Reuters None of the accused could be reached for comment.
India reported more than 31,000 rape cases in 2022, the latest year for which data is available, and the conviction rate is extremely low.
The rape and murder of a trainee doctor in the eastern city of Kolkata last year sparked outrage across the country, with protests and street marches demanding action against the accused.