Sultan Bathery: The police have arrested three people over the alleged gang rape at a resort here last month. A manhunt is on for several accused who are at large.
An eight-member gang barged into a resort located at Pottankolli at Ambalavayal here and four among them raped a woman hailing from Karnataka on April 20.
The gang entered the hotel at 11 pm. They held the inmates of the resort hostage and sought from them money and other valuables too.
The four members of the gang forcefully opened rooms in the resort. Then they saw the woman from Karnataka taking a bath. They pounced on her and took turns to rape her. The four soon fled from the scene by midnight. They also took away the mobile phone of the woman.
According to the police, the woman had been working at the resort since April 11.
How the incident came to limelight
Though the woman left for Karnataka after the incident, she came back to the resort three days ago as per the insistence of the resort owners.
Later, under the persuasion of the resort owners, the woman reached the Ambalavayal police station and filed a complaint that her mobile phone had been stolen by the assailants. Sensing that it was not a mere case of theft, the police further questioned her, leading to the revelation of the whole incident.
The three arrested are NM Vijayan, 41, AR Kshithin, 33, Jojo Kuriakose, 31. The trio were booked for indulging in human trafficking and carrying out shady operations at the Indian Holiday Resort. They were produced before the court soon after their arrest.
Kshithin was present at the resort at the time of the incident. Vijayan and Jojo came to the resort when they were asked to do so.
A police team led by Deputy Superintendent of Police KK Abdul Sherif is investigating the case.
There has been a spurt in the activities of rackets involved in flesh trade. They solict customers through agents, Sherif stated.
More persons could be part of the racket linked to the resort, he added.
The raped woman is now lodged at the Sakhi shelter home. She has three children.
