Mother and notorious criminal held for rape of teenage daughter in Kerala

PATHANAMTHITTA: A notorious criminal and his woman friend, who had been absconding in connection with the rape of her 14-year-old daughter, have been arrested, police said here on Thursday.

Jaimon (42), a notorious criminal involved in multiple serious offences, including murder, and the 44-year-old mother of the victim, were taken into custody from their hideout in Karnataka, following a highly challenging operation, officials said.

The man allegedly raped the girl with the assistance of her mother. The woman is accused of aiding in covering up the incident and preventing its disclosure.

According to the police, the horrific rape occurred in the early hours of September 15 last year in a room at a lodge near College Junction in Pathanamthitta.

The accused allegedly woke the child from her sleep in the lodge room, pulled her down from the cot in front of her mother, and raped her.

The crime came to light through the Child Welfare Committee, and during counselling, the child revealed the horrific rape she had experienced.

The initial case was registered at the Balaramapuram Police Station in Thiruvananthapuram based on the girl's statement. Since the crime occurred in Pathanamthitta, the case was later transferred there, and an investigation was launched.

After the case was registered, the girl's mother and Jaimon fled to Karnataka. The investigation team collected evidence at the lodge, examined records, and conducted medical tests on the girl to gather further evidence.

The victim's statement was recorded in court, and documents from her school were examined as part of the investigation.

By tracking phone calls, the special investigation team determined that the accused were within the jurisdiction of the Mulki Police Station in Mangaluru.

With the assistance of the local police, they were taken into custody. The accused were then brought to Pathanamthitta, identified by witnesses, and formally arrested, police said.

Their mobile phones were seized, and after medical examinations and other legal procedures, they were produced in court.

In a statement, the District Police Chief assured that the girl's welfare would be ensured and that the investigation would be swiftly completed to submit a charge sheet in court.

Police revealed that Jaimon has been implicated in 11 criminal cases, including a murder case registered at the Kalikavu Police Station in Malappuram district.

Cases against him exist at police stations in Adimali, Vellathooval, Munnar, Manimala, and Balaramapuram, including three rape cases, a theft case, and a POCSO case.

He has already served a prison sentence in one rape case, police said.