Violence against Women: Kerala Forest Guards Rape Two Tourists

India legal news reports indicate that incidents of violence against women are increasing in India. The latest statistics reveal that every third minute a case of violence against women is reported in India. Nearly 50 cases of dowry related violence are registered. To save family honor and reputation, many cases of sexual harassment and violence against women are not reported.

Violence against Women: Forest Guards Record Rape, Upload it on YouTube

As per India legal news reports, three forest guards from Kerala were arrested on July 20, 2010, for raping two women. Violence against women is a growing crime in all parts of Kerala. This incident took place six months back in a forest in the district of Kollam. The tourists were forced to strip and parade across the forest. Later on, they were raped by the offenders. Also, the woman’s husband was tied to a tree. The criminals, Manikandan, aged 24, Shahul Hameed, aged 33, and Unnikrishnan, aged 43, recorded the incident on their cell phones and later, the footage was published on You Tube.

However, the offenders were caught on July 20, 2010. Also, the original video clips were seized, by the police. Further, the police officials said that the criminals have confessed the crime though the victims did not lodge any complaint. The Kerala police are trying to track the victims so that they can record their statements.

Violence Against Women: Growing Indifference by Kerala Government

Those who live in Kerala fear the increasing threat of sexual harassment and violence against women. Political support has enabled many accused persons to slip away without being punished by law.

In this case too, V.D. Satheesan, the Congress legislator blamed the Government, for taking a lenient approach towards the case, as one of the offender was a local CPM leader. Political power cannot be exercised to unleash sexual violence against women in any form and if this trend continues, the safety of women in the state is under considerable risk. Further, the opposition alleged that several such incidents, involving forest guards, have taken place several times in the past and nothing has been initiated by the state government to address this problem.

The Forest Minster, Binoy Viswom said that the offenders are detained and produced before the Court. He also said that the arrest was made under the Information Technology Act and the Indecent Representation of Women Prohibition Act.