Stop communalising and politicising Deralakatte forced sex case, urge Nayak couple

The husband and wife, who were the first two individuals who took up the issue of the kidnap and subsequent sexual exploitation of two medical students in Deralakatte, came out in the open and recounted their experience with mediapersons at a press conference at their residence in the city on Friday.

'No political pressure'

In the backdrop of allegations such as 'inefficiency of the police department' and 'political pressure' in the case flung at a mass rally organised by a right-wing women's outfit on Thursday, president of Federation of Indian Rationalists Association (FIRA) said that the so-called guardians of the society were trying to communalise the crime in order to make political electoral gains through it.

The crime was done by an organised anti-social gang and there should not be any political exploitation of the crime. Such attempts are being made by people who were nowhere in the picture when the events happened, which is extremely condemnable and should not be allowed, he said.

Mrs Asha Nayak, who was with one of the victims during and after their rescue, also clarified that there was no political pressure when the statements were being taken.

'Male victim also faced physical and mental trauma'

Reacting against the allegation that the male victim in the case was also involved with the accused (since he belongs to the same community), Mrs Asha Nayak, who was involved in the case and played a crucial role in rescuing the victims, refuted the allegation and stated that the male victim had also undergone physical and mental trauma by the kidnappers.

If he was in nexus with the gang who exploited them, it would have been revealed by the eight accused during police interrogation. So far, the boy has adhered to everything that the police have said, including making a statement before the judicial magistrate.

During his ordeal with the accused, he was physically injured to the extent that he had to be hospitalised subsequently, she said.

She said that when the boy was found by the police, his hand was fractured, his face bloated, and he was badly bruised. She also said that during the boy's rescue, the female victim had been very concerned about him till he was rescued.

Mr Nayak said that it was a malicious allegation against the boy, merely because he was from the same community as the accused.

'Cannot blame the police'

The couple also clarified that the police had swung into action when they were informed about the issue, and were successful in nabbing the culprits on the same day.

“They cannot blame the police on the alleged grounds that they did not take necessary action in the case. It is not necessary for people to drag the issue on the streets when the police are doing what should be done,” said Mr Nayak.

Having helped the two victims during their ordeal in their capacities as human beings, the duo said that they were deeply pained by the attempts to communalise the entire crime and create rifts between communities. This was a delicate and sensitive case, which is why we did not want to speak to the public earlier, said Mrs Nayak.