Alappuzha (Kerala), February 14 Police said on Saturday that the father and cousin of a 14-year-old girl have been arrested for sexually assaulting her over several years in this coastal district.
Police added that, in addition to the girl's father and cousin, two other individuals are accused of sexually assaulting her at different times and are currently at large.
They said that four separate cases have been registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act against the accused, as the incidents of sexual assault occurred on different dates.
The police are currently searching for the remaining two accused.
The incidents of sexual assault occurred over four years in the Punnapra area of the district, they added.
The girl was sexually assaulted when she was eight years old by her maternal uncle, who was arrested and later committed suicide after being released on bail, police said.
Subsequently, the girl was living in a home run by the child welfare committee.
A few years ago, her father brought her from there in 2022 and placed her under the care of a relative.
It was after that that the incidents of sexual assault began, police said.
The incidents came to light after the girl narrated her experiences to a friend, who informed his parents, who then informed the police.
