Palakkad, March 21: A 21-year-old woman has filed a police complaint alleging she was sexually assaulted inside the ruling CPI(M)’s area committee office at Cheruplassery in Kerala. The matter came to fore after police found a newborn girl last Saturday. The baby was left by the woman on a roadside. After being traced by cops, the woman said the baby was born after she was allegedly raped by a youth activist inside the CPM's office 10 months ago.
According to the woman, the alleged sexual assault took place when she went to the party office for preparation of a college magazine. However, after an initial investigation, the police found the accused man had no links with CPM, while the woman's family has close ties with the party. The police also revealed that the woman met the accused through WhatsApp or Facebook and not at the CPM office as claimed by her. Mumbai: Godman Rapes Woman, Extorts Over Rs 3 Lakh on Pretext of Curing Her Son's Cancer.
"The girl got to know the guy through WhatsApp or Facebook. And she was allegedly raped at her rented place itself, where she met the boy. There is no link to the CPM area committee office in our investigation, except that the accused man ran a garage near the area committee office. But he has no links with CPM. The girl's family has CPI(M) connections," Palakkad police chief Sabu PS told NDTV. 12-Year-Old Girl Gangraped by Brothers, Uncle; Beheaded Body Found in Sagar.
The woman's family said they were in dark about her pregnancy until the delivery, which happened at home. An investigation was under into rape charges. Reacting to the allegations, a local CPM leader said the party would probe if such an incident has taken place in its office and police also should conduct a “truthful” and “scientific” probe. The woman and the newborn have been hospitalised.
The Congress party slammed CPM led LDF government in Kerala and said women are not safe under the current regime. Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala told reporters that it was unfortunate that party offices of the CPI(M) have become “rape centres. I have regret in saying this. But that is the fact”. Palakkad’s MP, M B Rajesh, who is seeking re-election on LDF ticket in the April 23 Lok Sabha polls, has demanded that truth should come out as early as possible. (With PTI inputs)
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 21, 2019 04:29 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).