Kerala woman alleges rape inside CPI(M)’s office; probe on

Palakkad, March 21

A 21-year-old woman has filed a police complaint alleging that she was raped inside the ruling CPI(M)’s area committee office at Cheruplassery in Kerala, following which a probe has been started.

A case was registered after police found a newborn girl last Saturday abandoned on the roadside. They traced her mother, who said the baby was born after she was allegedly raped by a student activist inside the party office 10 months ago, police sources said.

The woman claimed in her complaint that she went to the party office for preparation of a college magazine, when the incident happened.

A local CPI(M) leader said the woman is an SFI activist and her family had close links with the party.

The party would probe if such an incident had taken place in its office and police also should conduct a “truthful” and “scientific” probe, he added.

Police officials are yet to record the statement of the man, who is being accused.

The woman and the newborn had been hospitalised, police said.

Targeting the CPI(M), senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala told reporters that it was unfortunate that party offices of the CPI(M) had become “rape centres. I have regret in saying this. But that is the fact”.

“Women are unsafe in Kerala under the LDF regime,” Chennithala alleged.

Palakkad MP MB Rajesh, who is seeking a re-election on an LDF ticket in the April 23 Lok Sabha polls, has demanded that truth should come out as early as possible.

Protesting against the incident, Youth Congress workers took out a march to the CPI(M)’s Cheruplassery area committee office and raised slogans. PTI