Pathanamthitta: The Pathanamthitta police have arrested four more persons, including another DYFI activist, in connection with the alleged sexual abuse of a 16 -year-old girl from Perunad.
The arrested are Anandu, 27, of Chittar, Vishnu, 24, of Laha, Ashik Azad, 25, of Chittar and Navaneeth, 24, of Thazhe Vettipuram.
Ashik, according to police, was an active worker of the DYFI (Democratic Youth Federation of India) in Chittar. They were produced before a magistrate and remanded to judicial custody.
With this, the number of people arrested rose to eight. The police had earlier arrested four others including Joyal Thomas, who had served as the president of the DYFI Perunad zonal committee, in connection with the case. The arrested also include a 17-year-old boy.
The police have booked cases against 16 persons for abusing the girl, besides three others for circulating video footage of the abuse.
The abuse came to light when the victim was subjected to counselling after she had shown reluctance to go to school. Official sources said the girl was first assaulted by a Chittar native, who established a relationship with the girl through Instagram while the remaining accused took advantage of the video footage. The abuses took place since June 2021.
