Seven minors raped in Wayanad for weeks; more girls feared trapped by abusers

In a shocking incident that once again proved that Kerala is increasing becoming unsafe for girls and women, seven minor girl students of an orphanage in Kalpatta, Wayanad were allegedly raped by young men for many weeks. The Social Justice Department is planning to hold an immediate group counselling fearing that the gang might have trapped more students.  

The suspects, most of them young men from the locality, lured the children by offering them sweets, took them inside a shop near the girls' hostel and sexually exploited them for over two months.  The police have taken seven men into custody in connection with the incident.  

The teachers of the school grew suspicious after they noticed that some girls were coming out of the shop during lunch interval some days back. They informed the orphanage officials and the students, most of them studying in 8th and 9th standard, underwent counselling. The school authorities were shocked to know that the youths have been exploiting the students since January. The orphanage, run by a Muslim Organisation, immediately informed the police and they started an investigation without delay. 

Police suspect that the abusers recorded obscene pictures of the students and blackmailed them to continue exploitation.  

Ironically, the government dismissed the Child Welfare Committee of Wayanad, the quasi judicial body which is responsible for looking into the complaints of atrocities against children, following complaints that the chairman and a member of the body helped a priest who raped and impregnated a minor girl from Kannur.

• Wayand rape
• minor girls raped
• Rape
• child abuse