The Kerala Police on Sunday arrested the mother of a 10-year-old girl in Malappuram for allegedly allowing a 60-year-old man to sexually abuse her in a movie theatre.
Based on CCTV footage, the police had arrested 60-year-old Moideen Kutty in April. The police said the man and the woman had been in a relationship, and she had taken her daughter to the theatre and let her sit in the middle seat.
The 35-year-old woman was arrested after additional CCTV footage showed that she was engaged in a sexual act with the 60-year-old accused, who then also sexually abused the child. Deputy Superintendent of Police Shaji told The News Minute that the woman knew that Kutty was sexually abusing her daughter. The man continued to do so throughout the show.
The child has now been shifted to the Nirbhaya Kendra, a children’s home in the town, PTI reported.
Meanwhile, a local sub-inspector, KG Baby, was suspended after investigations revealed that no action was taken in the case until Saturday, even though the theatre authorities handed over the visuals through to police on April 28. Kerala Assembly Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan said the police had committed a “serious lapse” by failing to act quickly. The crime was not reported by the child, but by theatre staff who had seen the CCTV footage of Kutty abusing her in the front row.
On Saturday, Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala had demanded action against the accused.
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