Kerala: 20-year-old woman in critical condition after rape and assault at home in Kochi; boyfriend in custody

synopsis

chottanikkara

Kochi: A 20-year-old woman was found in a semi-conscious state with severe injuries at her home in Chottanikkara three days ago. Following an investigation, the police have registered a case of rape and attempted murder against a 24-year-old man from Thalayolaparambu, who has been identified as her boyfriend. The case was filed based on a complaint by the survivor’s mother, according to Chottanikkara police.

According to the latest reports, the woman continues to be in a critical condition and is currently undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Kochi, where she continues to receive ventilator support. The girl suffered severe head injuries in the assault.

The police have arrested the accused, Anoop, a native of Thalayolaparambu, and are planning to take him into custody again for further questioning. According to Anoop’s statement to the police, he attacked the girl due to suspicion of her closeness with another person.

Surveillance camera footage captured the suspect being dropped off near the survivor’s house on Saturday night. Local residents recognized him as the same individual who had previously caused disturbances in the area.

Anoop had been in close contact with the girl for the past year after meeting her through Instagram. He did not like her communicating with other friends. On the day of the incident, Anoop was present at the house when he saw someone outside. He believed it was the person the girl had called in, which led to an argument and eventually resulted in Anoop violently assaulting her. The girl was subjected to severe violence, and the police are also investigating if any weapons were used during the attack.

What happened?

The police revealed that the girl attempted to hang herself with a shawl from a fan, but Anoop cut the shawl and then tightened it around her neck. The girl, who is still in critical condition in the hospital, is not responding to medication. The police will present Anoop in court today after completing evidence collection.

According to the police, the details of Anoop's cruelty are as follows: He arrived at the house that night after being unable to reach the girl on the phone. Once inside, Anoop assaulted her and forcibly attempted to have sexual relations. When the girl resisted, he sexually harassed her, hit her head against the wall, and strangled her.

In a state of despair, the girl took the shawl and attempted to hang herself from the fan, telling Anoop she was going to die. When Anoop screamed and saw her hanging, he cut the shawl. To prevent anyone from hearing the sound of her fall, he pressed her face down. After thinking she was dead, Anoop left the house and assumed the girl had passed away. He later fled the scene through the back of the house, with the girl remaining unconscious for hours. The police have revealed that this is how the incident unfolded.

The survivor was discovered partially undressed, with ligature marks on her neck and multiple wounds across her body. She was bleeding profusely, and locals suspected that she had endured a prolonged assault. She was a student at a special school. Meanwhile, her mother was relocated to another location in Kakkanad two days ago after receiving threats from the accused and a group of youths.

The survivor's mother stated that she had only recently learned about her daughter's relationship with the accused and had advised her to stay away from him. She also mentioned that the victim's father, a retired military officer, had passed away two years ago.