Pathanamthitta girl gang raped at hospital; minors among accused: Investigation handed over to DIG

Pathanamthitta: Shocking details have emerged in the Pathanamthitta rape case involving a Dalit girl. Police revealed that the victim was gang-raped at the Pathanamthitta General Hospital and also at a rubber plantation. Over the past three days, 28 people have been arrested in connection with the case. Further questioning of the suspects has brought to light new information, with police indicating that more cases and arrests are expected in the coming days. Among those arrested, four are minors.

The victim was gang raped at the Pathanamthitta General Hospital in January. Later, she was taken to a rubber plantation in Mandirampadi, Ranni, by a man she had met on Instagram. There, about six individuals sexually assaulted her. Several accused reportedly met the girl at the Pathanamthitta private bus stand and took her away in private vehicles.

According to reports, the girl was also assaulted inside a private bus parked at the bus stand. In another instance, two men allegedly raped her inside a car last July. The investigation, which focused on the victim's father’s mobile phone, led to the identification of most of the accused. The phone has been sent for forensic examination to retrieve details of visuals and communications, which could provide further evidence.

Call records from the phone, including incoming and outgoing calls between 8 pm and 2 am, have been handed over to the cyber cell for analysis.

Considering the gravity of the case, the investigation has been handed over to DIG Ajeetha Begum, and the probe team has been expanded to include 25 officers, including the district police superintendent. The large number of suspects and the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses) Act’s relevance to the case prompted the handover.

As news of the assaults emerged, some suspects reportedly fled the district. Police have sought the assistance of their counterparts in other districts to track them.