Kerala Women and Child Development Minister Bindu Krishna has promised strict action against those accused in the Kalamassery rape case and assured the survivor of legal and psychological support. Krishna made the statement after visiting the young woman, who is undergoing treatment at Government Medical College Hospital, Ernakulam.
According to the minister, the woman had gone to a spa in Kalamassery after being offered a job. She was allegedly lured there and brutally attacked. The Times of India reported that Krishna met the survivor on Saturday and said the government would ensure action against the culprits.
“Although the survivor is recovering her physical health, she is in severe psychological trauma. Strict action will be ensured against those who lured her in by offering a job opportunity and brutally attacked her,” Krishna said, according to the report.
The minister also assured that the government would provide legal and psychological assistance to the survivor. She said the authorities would not allow those responsible to escape action under any circumstances.
The case has highlighted the risks faced by women seeking employment through informal or loosely regulated job offers. In her statement, Krishna said the government would work to ensure that women could seek jobs and work safely. She described the use of job offers to exploit women as an issue requiring uncompromising action.
The minister also referred to the government’s anti-drug campaign, Operation Toofan, saying that measures against drugs were continuing. She added that the presence of people involved in such activity who remained unidentified or “in the shadows” needed to be viewed seriously.
The report did not provide details of the number of arrests, the sections of law invoked, or the status of the police investigation. It also did not specify the nature of the support arrangements being made for the survivor beyond the minister’s assurance of legal and psychological assistance.
The immediate official response is centred on the survivor’s treatment and support, as well as action against those accused. The government’s next steps will determine how the investigation proceeds and how the promised assistance is delivered while the survivor recovers at the Ernakulam medical college hospital.
