Thiruvalla: A woman working at a spa in Kerala’s Pathanamthitta district was allegedly sexually assaulted after the establishment refused to pay extortion money demanded by a group of men. The incident took place at a spa located in the Manjadi area of Thiruvalla on February 1.
According to the police complaint, the prime accused, Subin Alexander also known as ‘Marana Subin’ and booked earlier under the KAAPA Act arrived at the spa with five associates around 3.30 p.m. The group allegedly demanded money from the woman who runs the spa. When she refused, the men are said to have turned violent, attacking her and other staff members.
During the assault, a female employee was reportedly dragged into a nearby room, threatened with a knife pressed to her neck and sexually assaulted. The complaint further states that another customer present at the spa was forcibly taken into the same room along with the owner of the establishment. The accused allegedly made them lie on a bed while the incident was photographed and video-recorded on mobile phones, apparently to intimidate those present.
The gang is also accused of assaulting the customer and taking away ₹25,000 in cash from the premises before fleeing. They allegedly warned the victims of severe consequences if the matter was reported to the police.
Although the incident occurred on February 1, a case was registered only later, with police initially keeping the details under wraps. The situation escalated after CCTV footage from the spa emerged, showing a group barging into the establishment and harassing women. The footage has since circulated widely, drawing sharp public attention and mounting pressure on the police.
So far, three accused, including Subin Alexander, have been arrested and remanded in custody. A search is underway to nab the remaining three suspects who are still absconding. All six have been named in the case.
The incident has once again triggered allegations that extortion rackets operate openly in parts of Thiruvalla, where several spas function. Public outrage has grown, with calls for a comprehensive investigation into the crime as well as the alleged lapses that allowed such activities to continue unchecked.
(With IANS inputs)
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: ZEE News
