Crime against women turns big embarrassment for Kerala government

KOCHI: Increasing incidence of atrocities against women is turning out to be a source of embarrassment for the Left Front Government, which came to power by campaigning that the previous Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) Government failed to prevent such incidents.

Over the past one week a Christian priest was caught for sexually assaulting a minor girl while a temple priest was caught in connection with the rape of an aged woman. In Wayanad, seven girls of an orphanage were sexually exploited by a few men in a nearby shop.

In Walayar near Palakkad, two from a family –- Saranya (9) and Kritika(14) –- who were found dead were victims of sexual assault, according to the police. Police have arrested a close relative in connection with the case.

Women are getting abducted and molested in moving vehicles, sexually molested and killed in their own houses and exploited in educational institutions. After the recent actress abduction case, a spate of such incidents have caught the state police offguard.

CPM MP PK Sreemathy, who visited the girls from the Wayanad orphanage, said the girls told her that the culprits had blackmailed and raped them. Police are trying to verify whether more inmates had to undergo similar experience.

Father Robin Vadakkumcherry of St Sebastian Church in Kottiyoor, Kannur, raped a 16-year-old girl. When the girl became pregnant, he offered money to the poor family.

After the minor girl gave birth, more people linked to the Church helped Father Robin shift the baby boy to an orphanage under the Church. In yet another case, a young priest in a temple in Idukki, Vaisakh Pallikkattil, has been arrested for raping a 70-year-old employee in the temple.

Meanwhile, the government has introduced new initiatives like “Pink Patrol” for round-the-clock patrolling to help women and announced new helpline numbers. Launching the Pink Patrol service in North Kerala, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said it will be extended to other parts of the state.

However, opposition parties, especially the Congress, has taken up the atrocities against women as a major campaign point against the Left Front Government. VM Sudheeran, KPCC chief, has said that the law and order situation has worsened under the LDF rule. He said at a recent meeting that those who promised empowerment are not giving any value to the life and dignity of women.