Kerala woman alleges rape inside CPI(M)'s local office, probe on

A 21-year-old woman has filed a police complaint alleging she was raped inside the ruling CPI(M)'s area committee office at Cheruplassery in Kerala, following which a probe has been started.

A case was registered after police found a newborn girl last Saturday abandoned on a roadside. They traced her mother, who said the baby was born after she was allegedly raped by a student activist inside the party office 10 months ago, police sources said.

The woman claimed in her complaint that she went to the party office for preparation of a college magazine, when the incident happened.

A local CPI(M) leader said the woman is a SFI activist and her family has close links with the party.

The party would probe if such an incident has taken place in its office and police also should conduct a "truthful" and "scientific" probe, he added.

Police officials are yet to record statement of the man, who is being accused.

The woman and the newborn have been hospitalised, police said.

Attacking the CPI(M), senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala told reporters that it was unfortunate that party offices of the CPI(M) have become "rape centres. I have regret in saying this. But that is the fact".

"Women are unsafe in Kerala in the LDF regime," Chennithala alleged.

Palakkad's MP, M B Rajesh, who is seeking a reelection on LDF ticket in the April 23 Lok Sabha polls, has demanded that truth should come out as early as possible.

Protesting against the incident, Youth Congress workers took out a march to the CPI(M)'s Cheruplassery area committee office and raised slogans.