Girl sexually abused by 38 still undergoing counselling: Cops

Ifhigher-ups seek any report from us inthis regard, we will object to sending her back home to joinher mother due to safety reasons.

A 17-year-oldgirl,who recently disclosed that she had allegedly been sexuallyabused by 38 persons, is stillundergoing psycho-socialcounselling, police said on Tuesday.

The girl was being counselled at the state-run NirbhayaCentre here and there was no plan to send her back home,considering her safety, the police said.

Based on the girl's disclosure in November last, a totalof 29 cases had been registered so far and 20 personsarrested in this connection, a top police official said.

''We have registered 13 and 16 cases separately. Of thetotal 40 accused, 20 have already been arrested and weare ona hunt to trace 20 more accused,''district police chief AbdulKarim U told PTI.

Of the arrested 20, 15 went out on bail and five wereremanded, he said.

He said mother was the lone close relative the victim hadand it was not safe to send the girlback home.

''The victim continues to undergo counsellingat theNirbhaya centre. Ifhigher-ups seek any report from us inthis regard, we will object to sending her back home to joinher mother due to safety reasons. We take intoconsiderationher mental condition also,'' the officer added.

The teenager's ordeal came to light during a counsellingsession at the Nirbhaya centre recently, police said.

The girl had been sexually abused in 2016 when she was 13and then a year later.

After the second incident, she was sent to the Child Homeand allowed to go with her mother about a year ago.

According to the police, the girl was missing for sometimeafter she was released from Child Home and was traced toPalakkad in December last and brought to the Nirbhaya centre.

During counselling sessions, she informed the Nirbhayaauthorities about the series of sexual abuse and molestationshe had been exposed to.