She hasn’t realised the cruelty: Minor’s sister

“She has not changed much, she is the same active girl,” said her sister, noting how she is continuing to performing well in academics. However, the family decided to give her a break from school and also appoint a psychologist to counsel her. 

When asked how their mother was, she said, “She was shocked. But you can’t blame the parents in such instances,” she said. Echoing her, an uncle of the children said it was not fair to expect the family to fear about security of the child inside a gated community. “The predators targeted her when she went to play or cycle,” he said. “How is it fair to expect the girl to gather courage to raise an alarm against 17 monsters who threatened her with a knife? … For her, the home and the school would have been entire world. She would have thought that she has to live here forever,” he added.

She is fine unless reminded of the incident, which, however, is inevitable as she has to constantly meet police officers and advocates, he added. 

“But the police were very supportive and Commissioner AK Viswanathan told us that the victim is not only their daughter anymore, but the state’s daughter,” he said. 

Psychologist Vasanthi Babu, who counselled the girl, said the child was slowly being brought out of the trauma.  A number of social activists held an demonstration near Valluvarkottam expressing solidarity with the minor’s family, demanding justice to the victim and death penalty to the 17 accused men.