Police arrested a private bus conductor named Afzal from Pala in Kottayam after he groomed and raped a 13-year-old class 8 student. The minor was sexually assaulted inside a bus that the rapist had parked inside the private bus stand. The incident occurred around 1.30 PM on January 15. 

Afzal (31) reportedly lured the girl inside the bus and raped her with the help of the bus driver Ebin (35) and another bus conductor. Afzal is from Kottayam while Ebin is from Idukki. 

Afzal from Thundaparambil House is already married and has a small child and yet groomed the minor girl after pretending that he was in love with her. As per reports, the minor is a daily commuter in the bus in which the two accused were employed. On Saturday, he asked her to reach the bus stand. 

Afzal and Ebin lied to the owner of the bus that he had a fever and invited another conductor, who was his friend for the 1:30 PM trip. All three conspired and canceled the trip citing a lack of commuters. Ebin and the other conductor left the bus after downing its window shutters leaving the minor girl and Afzal, inside.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Shaju Jose received a secret tipoff following which a police party headed by Station House Officer K P Thomson inspected the bus and found the accused and the minor victim inside the vehicle.

Based on the victim’s statement,  Ebin was nabbed from the private bus stand premises but the other bus conductor is absconding. The bus was also impounded as evidence.

By the time the police reached, the accused had raped her twice and was forcing her to engage in unnatural sex. The accused admitted that he had earlier raped the girl on the 17th and 18th of December near the Kottayam medical college bus stand. Afzal is a serial offender who had raped another minor girl eight years ago.

A case was registered and the young girl was taken for a medical examination and counseling.