Premium

Kerala minor, thrown into river by her mother, was repeatedly sexually abused by uncle

According to the police, the child’s mother, a 35-year-old woman, had been arrested Tuesday hours after she had reported the child missing from a bus they were travelling in from a local Anganwadi to their home.

2 min readThiruvananthapuramUpdated: May 23, 2025 02:13 AM IST

According to the police, the girl’s parents had a strained relationship and that the suspect, the younger brother of the father, lived in the family’s home vicinity.

A minor girl in Kerala who had been thrown into a river by her mother was subjected to months of sexual abuse by her paternal uncle, the police have said.

According to the police, the child’s mother, a 35-year-old woman, had been arrested Tuesday hours after she had reported the child missing from a bus they were travelling in from a local Anganwadi to their home. After her arrest, she allegedly confessed to the police that she had thrown her daughter into a river on their way back, following which the child’s body was retrieved.

But an autopsy of the body has now revealed that the child had been allegedly subjected to repeated sexual abuse over a period of time. It is yet unclear if the mother knew of this alleged abuse.

“We have acted upon the report and a case under the Protection of Children against Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) case has been registered based on it,” Ernakulam (Rural) Superintendent of Police M Hemalatha said.

According to the police, the girl’s parents had a strained relationship and that the suspect, the younger brother of the father, lived in the family’s home vicinity. The suspect has since been arrested, and statements of their relatives have been taken, the SP said.

Senior Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader and former minister KK Shailaja condemned the incident through a post on Facebook. “When our families turn into closed private spaces where family members live without any social commitment, our children are left to face extreme cruelty. We need enlightenment about children’s rights and the elders’ responsibility towards them. The entire society should stand against this kind of behavioural disorders,” she said in the post.

Shaju Philip

Shaju Philip is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, where he leads the publication's coverage from Kerala. With over 25 years of experience in mainstream journalism, he is one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political, religious, and developmental landscape of South India. Expertise, Experience, and Authority Decades of Regional Specialization: Shaju has spent more than two decades documenting the "Kerala Model" of development, its complex communal dynamics, and its high-stakes political environment. Key Coverage Beats: His extensive reporting portfolio includes: Political & Governance Analysis: In-depth tracking of the LDF and UDF coalitions, the growth of the BJP in the state, and the intricate workings of the Kerala administration. Crime & Investigative Journalism: Noted for his coverage of high-profile cases such as the gold smuggling probe, political killings, and the state’s counter-terrorism efforts regarding radicalization modules. Crisis Management: He has led ground-level reporting during major regional crises, including the devastating 2018 floods, the Nipah virus outbreaks, and the Covid-19 pandemic response. ... Read More

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram

Loading Recommendations...

Apr 13: Latest News

Live Blog