A simple girl of a small village in Kerala fell in love at a delicate age of 16. The person she believed to be love of her life was in reality a vicious man. Bus conductor, ‘Raju’ that girls love, just wanted to quench his hideous lust.

He abducted the girl and raped her. He did not stop here, he sold the girl to two other cruel people, one of them was women herself and other a lawyer. They then commuted this poor child throughout the state selling her to satisfy lust of other such horrid men. Some of them were acclaimed personalities of the state. Even a politician was involved in raping the helpless girl. Not only did these men raped her but also physically abused the helpless soul. She was regularly kicked, punched and spat on. The girl had to bare this ordeal for over forty days and with over thirty-nine men. Later the two who bought her from the devil bus conductor paid her some money and dumped her outside her home in half dead state.

They also threatened that the consequences will be fatal if she ever opens her mouth. This did not stopped this strong willed girl from being bold and with her parents help who stood by her all the times, lodged a complaint against the involved men and woman. This humiliating incident is none other than the infamous Suranelli rape case dating back to January 1996.

Only public pressure forced government in 1999 to establish special-court to deal with sexual abuses. This court convicted 35 out of the 39 accused. However, five years later Kerala high court acquitted all 35 in an unjust trial. The reason was simple, involvement of high profile people. The reason provided by the court was lack of evidence.

The only convicted ‘raju’ has also absconded ever since. To add to the unnamed girl’s misery she was framed into a financial conspiracy at the company she worked in 2012. The reason was simple she was still fighting for justice so the influential people involved wanted to get rid of her. Not only this most of the accused also claimed that it was the girl who had sexual desires and was a prostitute. The primary accused recently contacted a local channel and admitted the involvement of the politician and other high profile people in the gang rape. Nothing has been done the Kerala high court later due to Supreme Court orders re-visited the case. However, only one was accused on charges of gang rape and fined Rs50,000 and five years jail. Recently Supreme court has set aside the judgment of Kerala high court and has probed into challenging 35 acquittals cases. There are multiple charges on them, rape, kidnapping, pedophile,etc.

It has been seventeen years since the horrific incident. The life of that girl has changed forever. She was 16 when she endured the pain and now 33. Only she knows the pain she has gone through. Not only in those forty odd days but even for the years after. She has dealt with all the ordeal by herself lived so many years in distress, fear and above all without justice. I know quite a few of you must be aware of the case and this no new information for you. Nonetheless, that does not mean we allow the accused to get away. The media and people were keeping a close check on the case but the terrifying bomb blast in Hyderabad has drifted the media in another direction.

I agree the Hyderabad blasts need to be sorted. I am not asking people not getting to the bottom of terrorism. I am only requesting all not to forget Suranelli rape case. She deserves justice, like any other victim. Please continue to support this brave lady who has been enduring all this alone for almost two decades. Let us not ease off the pressure over government and ensure our judicial system punishes the guilty in a righteous manner. Allowing us all to reignite our faith in justice and also it can prevail despite of the lapse of time. Let us stand by her to prove that we women can and will make the difference.