The family of a seven-year-old girl who was raped and killed in Kerala's Kollam district, and was forcibly evicted from their village by residents, has been brought back under police protection.
Police and a few activists including Dalit activist Dhanya Raman accompanied them back home in Yeroor of Kollam district.
The family told media that they came back as their presence was necessary at home during the evidence collection and police enquiry.
The girl’s mother said that they would move from the village after the enquiry.
“Police will provide them necessary protection. Those days some unfortunate incidents happened, but now police have ensured that the family will be protected,” Dhanya Raman told media.
Some of the local leaders and police had met the family a few days back and had asked them to return home.
The family was forcibly evicted from their house by villagers alleging that the tragic death of the child was owing to the family’s immoral activities, pointing out that the accused in the case was staying with the victim’s aunt without marrying her. Throwing the family out of the village, residents allegedly abused them stating that they were responsible for what happened to the child and warned them from returning to the village.
The victim’s mother was also allegedly not allowed to see the body of the child during the funeral. Following this, the family had shifted to a relative’s house in Kilimanoor for the time being.
After the issue became a huge controversy, police offered them protection and later an action council was formed by local leaders.
The girl’s body was found dumped in a rubber estate, after she was brutally raped on September 28.
Rajesh, 38, who was living in the girl’s house was arrested by police.