Islanders' bid to save girl child

KOCHI: Residents of Minicoy island of Lakshadweep who are still searching for justice over the police atrocities heaped on them on August 25 held a protest march and launched a campaign on Monday to 'save the girl child'. The police charge on the islanders has left a deep scar on their body and mind and the people are upset that no specific step has been initiated over it except suspending sub-inspector Ameer Bin Muhammed who led the charge.

This action took place after a lot of pressure was exerted on the administration from different quarters. The islanders now fear that the safety and security of their girl children is in peril as the incidents of child sex exploitation amounting to rape is alarmingly high in the island which had led to the arrest of 46-year-old kingpin K Moosa from Nedumbassery. The islanders had alleged that Moosa enjoyed all privileges at the hands of Lakshadweep police who even revealed the identity of a minor girl victim thus triggering unrest among islanders leading to a protest march on August 25 and police baton charge in which many islanders were injured.

The islanders say that the child rape case was investigated totally violating the POSCO Act 2012 and its rules and regulations and also the guidelines notified by the Ministry of Women and Child Development in 2013. Ameer Bin Muhammed had violated the Act by revealing the identity of the child, they alleged. “We are really aggrieved. We want a CBI inquiry and action against the culprits in all incidents. We want our girl children to be safe,” said Dr Muneer who also was injured in the police action and who runs a diabetic clinic at the island.