Take this… man accused of raping teenage girl in Kerala found marching demanding justice for her!

Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 7: It perhaps won't get more eyebrow-raising than this. A man with a political link and accused of raping a teenage girl in Kerala along with others, was found marching for justice for the same victim!

According to a report in The News Minute, a group of members of DYFI (Democratic Youth Federation of India) took out a march in the Parassinikadavu area of the state's Kannur district on December 4 seeking police action against those accused of gang-raping the 16-year-old girl in a local lodge. "But things took an absurd turn when the media figured out that a local DYFI leader, who had marched for justice was in fact arrested later in the same case," said the TNM report.

The accused, a bearded man who was found marching for justice with a small crowd for the victim in a red shirt, was identified as Nikhil, secretary of a DYFI unit from Thaliyil in Kannur, as was reported by Asianet (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qA6dTk-Qndw&feature=youtu.be).

On Thursday, December 6, the Kannur Police arrested four people, including Nikhil. "The protest march was held two days ago when the news just broke and no arrests were made. Nikhil was arrested on Thursday after the police found his involvement in the gang-rape case," TNM quoted a local source from Kannur as saying.

The tragedy happened on November 19 when the girl, who had befriended a man on social media was taken to the lodge in Parassinikadavu where she was gang-raped. The perpetrators recorded the act and blackmail the girl's family to extort money and the girl's brother and mother lodged a police complaint subsequently and it led to an outrage.

The DYFI, however, tried to distance itself from the arrested man.

DYFI district secretary in Kannur, Sanoj VK told TNM that Nikhil was earlier a unit secretary but not anymore. He said they had some issues with him including his habit of alcoholism and he wasn't given any prominent position in the party. It was also said that Nikhil used to participate in protests and other events.