Kerala: Bus conductor Afzal lures minor schoolgirl inside the vehicle, rapes her with driver’s help
Kottayam, Kerala, India 
14 January, 2022
Case Summary
A Class 8 student was sexually assaulted in a private bus at a bus stand in Kottayam, Kerala, on January 15, 2022. The accused, Afzal (31), a bus conductor, lured the minor girl into the bus and raped her with the help of the bus driver, Abin (35). The incident occurred around 1:30 pm. Afzal, who was already married, had built a rapport with the girl, a regular passenger on the bus. On that day, he convinced her to leave school and meet him at the bus stop. Afzal faked an illness to cancel the bus journey, and with the help of Abin, they trapped the girl inside the bus. Abin and another conductor left the bus after closing the windows, leaving Afzal alone with the victim. The police, alerted to the situation, quickly arrived at the scene and found the girl held captive inside the bus. They immediately arrested Afzal and later apprehended Abin at the bus station. The bus was impounded as part of the investigation. A case was registered based on the girl's statement, and she was taken for medical examination and counselling.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
In this case, a minor was lured by the Muslim perpetrator. It is entirely possible that brainwashing was an important element in the crime given that the perpetrator convinced the minor to skip school and meet him, before abducting and raping her. However, in the absence of further indication of religious animosity forming a part of the motivation to commit the crime, this case is being categorised as undecided. If more information emerges, it would be added to the hate crime database.
Victim Details
Total Victim
1
Deceased
0
Gender
- Male 0
- Female 1
- Third Gender 0
- Unknown 0
Caste
- SC/ST 0
- OBC 0
- General 0
- Unknown 1
Age Group
- Minor 1
- Adult 0
- Senior Citizen 0
- Unknown 0
Case Status
Arrested
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
From 2 To 5
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
