Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Women’s commission rescues tribal woman

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala State Women’s Commission has rescued a tribal woman with speech and hearing impairment who was subjected to sexual harassment and hard physical labour at a house in Varkala where she had been employed as a domestic maid for several years.

The victim hails from a tribal settlement in the Pangode police station limits. Her story is one of bonded labour and exploitation that started at the age of 10, according to the Human Rights Protection Forum which brought the woman’s plight to the attention of the commission.

When she was 10 years old her mother died and her relatives gave her away to a man hailing from Kilimanoor. He put her to work as a domestic help in his household. When she reached teenage, the family send the girl away to their relative’s house at Varkala. The son of the house owner allegedly raped and impregnated her.

His family allegedly tried to persuade the woman to medically terminate her pregnancy. The women refused, following which she was tortured for several days. She was locked up in a room, denied food and beaten. According to the forum, the woman’s tormentors forcibly terminated her pregnancy and send her back to her settlement.

Forum convener Thembamoodu Sahadevan brought the matter to the attention of the women’s commission. He, along with forum convener Ajith Kozhuvanoor and other members, visited the woman and her relatives at the tribal settlement in the Palode forests. The forum brought her case to the notice of the police and the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

The national commission ordered the police to register a case and investigate. The Deputy Superintendent of Police, Attingal, conducted the preliminary inquiry. The Rural police registered a case under Sections 376 and 313 of the Indian Penal code. The case was later transferred to Circle Inspector, Varkala. The Varkala police said they were yet to identify the woman’s tormentors.

Human rights activists approached the women’s commission again and filed a petition seeking the commission’s help to find out the progress of the police investigation.

They also submitted that the victim was vulnerable to wanton cruelty and sexual exploitation at the hands of her relatives and also those interested in sabotaging the case of rape registered on the basis of her complaint.

Commission Chairperson D. Sreedevi ordered protection for the victim. On her direction, commission officials and human rights activist secured custody of the victim with the consent of the Pangode panchayat authorities last week.

She is currently housed at the commission’s short stay home in the city. The victim’s father is aged and ailing. Her brother is mentally challenged. The tribal family lives in penury.

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