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Rape of party worker: 2 CPI(M) leaders arrested in Kerala
The party had expelled both, Mulliyeri branch secretary Baburaj and DYFI (the party’s youth wing) leader TP Lijesh, after the woman filed a police complaint last week
The Kerala Police on Monday arrested two Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPI(M) workers in Vadakara in north Kerala’s Kozhikode district in connection with the alleged rape of a woman party worker three months ago.
The party had expelled both, Mulliyeri branch secretary Baburaj and Democratic Youth Federation of India (the party’s youth wing) or DYFI leader TP Lijesh, after the woman filed a police complaint last week. She said she was under tremendous pressure to hush up the case and had been threatened with implication in trumped-up cases. In her complaint, she said that three months ago, Baburaj came to her house in the guise of discussing an election issue and raped her. She said he raped her several times after threatening her he would tell her husband if she didn’t comply.
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She said after Baburaj told DFYI leader Lijesh about this, he also started harassing her and later raped her. She said she thought of killing herself frequently. Later, she said, she mustered courage and told her husband. Both of them approached the police. A senior CPI(M) woman leader from the district , who did not want to be quoted, said the woman got enough courage to approach the police after many women leaders took up the issue.
The opposition Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party have criticised the police for delay in arresting the accused persons, and threatened to launch an agitation.
“Police deliberately delayed their arrest due to political pressure. They acted only after protests mounted,” said Congress working president T Siddique.
Vadakara deputy superintendent of police Moosa Vallikadan said the investigating team had recorded her detailed statement and there would be a fair probe. “An investigation is on. Her statements will be recorded before a magistrate under Section 164 of the IPC,” he said.
A CPI(M) leader, who requested anonymity, said the law would take its course and refused to comment further.
