Stephan Kayyar
Daijiworld Media Network - Kasargod (EP)

Kasargod, Oct 13: Crime branch police have arrested a man from Mangaluru for allegedly raping a 16-year-old mute girl after tying her up.

The accused is Suresh (38), a resident of Sharadanagar, Uppala.

Though the incident had occurred on September 22, it was reported late. A complaint was lodged at Manjeshwar police station but it is alleged that the police were reluctant to register the case. After the matter was brought to the attention of the superintendent of police, the case was assigned to the crime branch.

As per the complaint, on September 22, when the girl was alone at home, the accused came to the house asking for water. When the girl went inside to bring water, he followed her, tied her up and raped her. She later went to the neighbours and explained the incident by using sign language.

The neighbours rushed her to the hospital and got her examined there. Though they complained about it to Manjeshwar police, they did not accept the complaint, it is said. The police did not come
forward to subject her medical tests either.

A complaint was lodged with the women’s police station three days after the incident. The police who obtained information from the girl, conducted her medical examination at a Kasargod hospital and registered a case of rape.

There were attempts to close the case but a local teacher and her husband made a sincere attempt to bring the incident to light. The father of the girl is mentally ill and her mother and two brothers are also mute. The mother sells fish for a living.