A Congress leader is on the run after a tribal girl who used to work at his house alleged she was sexually abused by him for over a year in Kerala's Wayanad district, the police said today.
A case of sexual abuse and rape has been filed against OM George, former general secretary of the district Congress unit, the police said.
Congress sources said he has been suspended from the party.
The case was filed under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act after the 17-year-old girl's parents approached a state-run helpline meant for children in distress, and told them of the horror their daughter had gone though in the house of the absconding Congress leader. The helpline then informed the police.
The parents, who also worked at George's house, said he threatened and blackmailed the girl against talking about the crime. They alleged another local Congress leader offered them hush money, which they refused, news agency PTI reported.
They said they came to know about it a week ago when they heard George threatening their daughter on phone, according to PTI. Unable to the take the abuse, the girl tried to kill herself by cutting her veins, the father told local news channels.
Announcing the sacking of George from the party, Kerala Congress chief Mulapally Ramachandran said they will not protect any accused and have told the party's district unit leaders to send a report on the alleged crime.
The police said they are trying to track down George.
With inputs from PTI
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