Two months ago, a 10-year-old girl child was found hanging from the window of her house in Kollam district of Kerala. What was written off by the police as a routine suicide case has now opened a Pandora’s Box.
Initially, the girl’s grandfather was arrested for abusing her, and her mother was arrested for abetting the crime. Now her grandmother too has been arrested by the Kerala police. The post mortem report first revealed by Manorama News indicated that the girl was subjected to sexual assault as she had over 22 injuries on her legs, thighs and in her genital area.
The Special Investigation Team probing the case recorded the arrest of the girl’s grandmother L Mary, (56), on Saturday. The arrest was recorded in the after noon at a hospital in Kanjiramcode where she was undergoing treatment. She has been made the second accused in the case. Two cases have been filed against her - one for the death of her own grandchild and the second for abetting sexual abuse of two girls. (the granddaughter and another girl).
The grandmother was interrogated by the police multiple times during the past few days. Officers told TNM that they had to opt for many rounds of counseling by psychologists to make the accused reveal the truth. Kottarakkara Deputy Superintendent of Police B Krishnakumar, who is heading the investigation team, submitted a report to the District and Sessions Court on Friday detailing the involvement of the girl’s grandparents.
The girl child’s maternal grandfather Victor, 65, is the prime accused in the case. The team found it unnatural that the grandmother had hidden the crime and never exposed the husband. “The woman, we learnt, has had an ugly past. She might have feared that if she revealed her husband’s deeds, he would retaliate by exposing her past life to everyone. Also, she was afraid of Victor. She knew the abuse was going on and hid it, which is a serious offence. If all these family members had spoken up, perhaps the girl’s death could have been prevented. She knew that Victor used to sexually abuse not one, but two girls,” a police officer said.
Krishnakumar told TNM that acrimony within the family also motivated the grandmother to remain mum. “Mary and Victor had a strained relationship with their own daughter and her husband. The younger couple had once filed a civil case against Victor over a domestic dispute.”
The police team has arranged counseling sessions for the second girl who was also sexually abused by Victor. “Her mental condition has improved now and she is housed in a government care home,” Krishnakumar added. The 10-year-old girl was found hanging at her house on January 15. Victor, even killed her pet dog after her death. The police initially registered a case of unnatural death, though the autopsy report revealed that girl had been assaulted multiple times. The station Circle Inspector and Sub Inspector were suspended for the laxity.
The police also suspect that Victor was involved in the sexual abuse and death of a 14-year old boy in the neighbourhood. Postmortem revealed that he had been subjected to sexual assault.