Kalamassery spa gang-rape survivor fights trauma, stigma; forced to vacate rented house

Kochi: The physical wounds have healed, but the survivor of the Kalamassery spa gang-rape case is still struggling to overcome the psychological trauma. She is afraid to step outside or stay alone. The social ostracism she has faced since the incident has added to her distress.

The young woman and her husband were forced to vacate their rented house in Aluva and have now taken shelter at a relative's home. Even a month after the incident, they are finding it difficult to secure another rented house. The survivor recounted the horrifying experience of being lured to a spa for a job interview, getting locked inside a room and being brutally gang-raped.

Q: How did you end up attending the interview at the spa?
A: I had lost my teaching job and was searching for work when I came across an online advertisement for a spa manager's vacancy. The interview was held on October 2 by a man named Sreeraj. He told me that I had been selected. He also said there would be a small party in the evening where I could meet all the staff members.

I returned home. In the evening, they booked a taxi for me and said they would arrange for my return as well.

Q: What happened that day?
A: I was taken to a place in Edappally that looked like an apartment. I sensed something was wrong with Sreeraj's behaviour. When I tried to leave, he pulled me by my hair and beat me.

Something intoxicating had been mixed into the water they gave me to drink. They held my nose and forced me to inhale smoke through my mouth. I was only partially conscious, but could sense that they were doing something to me.

Sreeraj, Ammu (Sharanya), Sanju and Jithu assaulted me. At one point, when I managed to open my eyes slightly, I realised that someone was recording a video on a phone.

Q: Could you have raised an alarm and escaped?
A: It was a building that resembled an apartment complex. I shouted for help, but nobody heard me.

I tried to break the bathroom bulb and cut myself with the glass. It was then that they released me on October 3. They made me promise that I would not tell the police and would report for work the next day.

As soon as I got out, I called my husband. He had tried calling me several times. Since my eyes and lips were swollen, I bought a mask from a shop before taking a taxi home.

Q: How did you decide to file a complaint?
A: My husband told me that we should face this and file a case. I was in the ICU for 13 days. I narrated everything that had happened when the ACP visited me and when the judge came to record my statement.

Q: What is your situation now?
A: We got married nine months ago. He is a family friend. Following the incident, we had to vacate our rented house. The owners said they were afraid and asked us to move out.

We looked at four houses and even paid advances. But we could not secure any of them because of this incident. We are now staying at a relative's house.

My husband and his cousins have been supportive. But we cannot stay at a relative's house indefinitely. We need to find another place. I also want to take up a job at a school. We will pursue the case.

Investigation update
Four persons have been arrested in connection with the gang-rape at a lodge in Vattekkunnam, Kalamassery. The accused are Sreeraj (30) of Alappuzha, Jith Martin (27) of Thrikkakara, Sharanya Sashi (30) of Cherthala and V S Sanjay (20) of Thrissur.

Sharanya allegedly lured the survivor to the lodge on the pretext of offering her a job. She and Sanjay, who were reportedly in a live-in relationship, were arrested from Pulpally in Wayanad. Police said all four accused had been apprehended.

Thrikkakara ACP Bijoy Chandran had said that investigators were examining whether the accused were part of a larger racket targeting women who come from outside the area in search of jobs.

Meanwhile, two more persons who reportedly visited the lodge around the time of the incident are being brought under the scope of the investigation. The survivor and her partner had earlier sought their inclusion in the case.

The investigation team is believed to have gathered strong evidence against Sreeraj, the first accused. The chargesheet is expected to be filed by the end of this month.