The Kannur City police took into custody three people on Thursday in connection with the gang-rape of a 32-year-old woman, a native of Erode in Tamil Nadu. The woman had come to Kannur a week ago in search of work and was living with her relative, one of the accused in the case. They used to collect scrap.
The police have registered a case against Vijesh, 28, a native of Kanhangad; Malar, 26, a native of Tamil Nadu and the survivor’s relative; and another person who is missing. The woman was allegedly drugged with fruit juice mixed with sedative, tortured, and gang-raped. The police are checking whether another person in custody, a native of Neeleswaram, is involved in the case.
According to the police, the incident occurred on August 27. Two men had picked up the woman in an autorickshaw for work. Since it was raining on return, they took the woman to a rented house at Kanhira near Kannur city. She was raped there, the police said.
The woman was found by the neighbours. The police then admitted her to the district hospital. The police could take a statement from here only two days later. She is recovering in the hospital.