In a horrifying incident, an 18-year-old Dalit girl has been sexually abused by more than 60 people over the past five years in Kerala’s Pathanamthitta.

The deeply disturbing incident came to light when volunteers from the Kerala Mahila Samakhya Society, during a routine visit, encountered the girl and learned about her ordeal.

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Acting swiftly, they alerted the district Child Welfare Committee (CWC) members, who in turn informed the police. Following this, the Sub-Inspector of the Women’s Cell at Elavumthitta recorded the statement of the victim and registered two FIRs on Thursday.

Those accused of the abuse are primarily the woman’s classmates, friends and neighbours. Some of them are minors, while others are aged between 20 and 40, representatives from the district Child Welfare Committee said.

According to the police, the initial investigation indicated that there are more than 60 accused, as stated by the girl.

As many as 15 persons have been held in connection with the case so far. The arrested included – Subin, 24, S Sandeep, 30, V K Vineeth,30, K Anandu, 21, and Sreeni alias S Sudhi Sreeni, 24, all residents of Chenneerkara in Pathanamthitta.

The girl identified 40 others who abused her from the photos on the mobile phones of the arrested persons. Nine more people were taken into custody on Saturday

According to the police, when the girl, who is an athlete, was 13, the son of her father’s friend named Subin, lured her by showing obscene visuals on his mobile phone. He also took the girl’s nude pictures on his phone.

When the girl was 16, Subin took her to a secluded place in their locality and assaulted her sexually. He also recorded videos of the act on his phone. This was followed by regular sexual abuse, said the police.

The accused face charges under multiple sections, including Section 3(2)(v) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, which prescribes life imprisonment and a fine for non-SC/ST individuals who commit offences under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) punishable with imprisonment of ten years or more against SC/ST members, knowing the victim’s caste.

Additionally, they are charged under IPC Sections 376(2) (aggravated rape), 376(3) (rape of a woman under sixteen years), 376(n) (repeated rape of the same woman), 376(D) (gang rape), and 354A (sexual harassment).

Provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act have also been invoked, including Sections 3(a) (penetrative sexual assault), 5(g) (aggravated penetrative sexual assault by a person in a position of trust or authority over the child), 11 (sexual harassment of a child), and 12 (punishment for sexual harassment of a child).

Furthermore, Sections 66E (violation of privacy) and 67B (depicting children in sexually explicit acts) of the Information Technology (IT) Act are applicable.

The case has sparked widespread outrage and raised serious concerns about the safety and protection of vulnerable individuals in Kerala.

Responding to the incident,Congress Working Committee member Ramesh Chennithala said that the news that a minor Dalit girl was gang-raped by more than 60 people in Pathanamthitta is shocking.

The incident that took place in Pathanamthitta is something that should not have happened in Kerala. Chennithala also demanded that strict action be taken against those responsible for such incidents that humiliate the entire people of the state.