No escape even after working disguised as a boy, Kerala teen girl sexually assaulted; one arrested

Shoranur (Kerala): A 17-year-old girl, who had disguised herself as a boy to find work and escape personal hardships, has been subjected to sexual assault. The girl, who had become so distressed that she contemplated suicide, was saved by the Railway Police. The police have arrested Sanoj, a native of Meenangadi in Wayanad, and charged him under the POCSO Act.

According to the Railway Police, the incident came to light when an officer noticed the teenager travelling in an unusual manner on the footboard of a train. Initially, the officer approached the teenager, believing her to be a boy. After the officer asked for identification and questioned her, the girl opened up about her ordeal.

The teenager shared that she lost her father, and her mother faces mental health challenges. She had been living with her aunt, but after realising that she was not safe in that environment, she decided to disguise herself as a boy to secure employment. She began working as a cleaner in a mini-lorry belonging to Sanoj, whom she considered like a brother.

The journey began from Wayanad on June 2. When the vehicle stopped in Kozhikode, Sanoj attempted to sexually assault her at a lodge, but she managed to escape. Although they reconciled after the incident, she alleged that Sanoj sexually assaulted her later when the lorry reached Kottayam. She fled the scene, reached the Kottayam Railway Station, and boarded the first train she saw.

She confessed that she had been planning to jump from the moving train to end her life. The officer informed the Railway Police SHO, Anil Mathew, and the girl was deboarded at Thrissur. A medical examination confirmed that she had been sexually assaulted. The girl is currently under the protection of Childline workers.

The timely intervention of a police officer from Perinthalmanna saved the girl’s life. The case has now been transferred to the Meenangadi Police.