Kerala, India – An 18-year-old Dalit woman from the southern Indian state of Kerala has accused 64 men of sexually abusing her over a five-year period, beginning when she was just 13 years old. The shocking allegations have led to the arrest of 28 suspects so far, with police expecting more arrests as the investigation unfolds. The accused, aged between 17 and 47, include neighbors, sports coaches, her fatherโs friends, and strangers, according to police statements to the BBC.
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The case came to light last month when a team of counselors, working under a government scheme, visited the womanโs home and identified signs of distress. After counseling sessions, she revealed the harrowing details of the abuse to a psychologist, prompting the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) to intervene. “She opened up before a psychologist, narrating the sexual abuse she has been facing since the age of 13,” the head of the districtโs CWC told the Indian Express. For her safety, the woman has been moved to a CWC-affiliated shelter.
Police say the abuse began when a neighbor allegedly molested the girl at 13, taking sexually explicit photographs. The same neighbor reportedly assaulted her again at 16, recording videos that were shared with others who continued the abuse over the years, according to The News Minute. The woman, an athlete who attended various sports camps, may have been further targeted during these events, a CWC lawyer suggested to the Indian Express. Authorities also allege she was gang-raped three times in the past five years.
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The accused reportedly used her fatherโs phone to contact her, with their numbers stored in the deviceโnow a key tool for police to track down suspects. A 25-member police team has registered 18 cases under Indiaโs criminal laws, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (given her minor status during the abuse), and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, a law protecting lower-caste communities like Dalits. Senior police official Nandakumar S told BBC Hindi that additional cases, including potential human trafficking charges, are under investigation as some abusers allegedly forced her to travel outside her village.
The abuse reportedly occurred in both private and public spacesโhomes, cars, bus stops, and fieldsโsometimes involving strangers from towns miles away. Police told CNN that at least three perpetrators promised to marry her, while one threatened to kill her if she spoke out. โItโs not that all the cases are connected. But in one case, there might be four or five accused,โ said a Kerala Police official, Begum, noting that some men acted alone while others participated in gang rapes.
Dalits, at the bottom of Indiaโs 3,000-year-old Hindu caste system, face systemic discrimination despite legal protections. Traditionally relegated to โuncleanโ jobs like manual scavenging and waste picking, they are often segregated from higher-caste communities and denied access to temples or basic services. Experts and activists say the muted national outrage over this caseโcompared to othersโreflects the victimโs caste status.
In her village amid Keralaโs green hills, where many residents are low-paid laborers, the allegations have stirred mixed reactions. While some community members expressed sympathy for the accused, others criticized the survivorโs clothing and her motherโs oversight, The News Minute reported. One mother defended her accused son, claiming he had known the girl since infancy and โraised her in his arms.โ
Unaware of the abuse, the womanโs parents worked long hours, police said. The 28 men in custody have not made public statements, and the survivor is expected to provide a detailed account to a female police officer soon. As the investigation deepens, the case continues to send shockwaves through Kerala and beyond, exposing the intersections of caste, gender, and vulnerability in Indiaโs social fabric.
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