Thiruvananthapuram: Six tribal girls including two minors have committed suicide during the last two months following alleged sexual abuse in tribal settlement colonies in this district of Kerala.
There were reports that girls are being sexually abused by drug mafia operating in the tribal colonies in the State, sources said on Sunday.
Suicide among sexual abuse victims is a serious matter and the district administration is yet to take concrete steps against the drug mafia operating in the tribal colonies, sources added.
More than 192 tribal settlement colonies are in the Vithura and the Palode police station limits where law enforcement agencies are not functioning properly in Thiruvananthapuram district.
Meanwhile, Kerala Health Minister Veena George on Saturday directed the Principal Secretary of the Women and Child Development to submit a detailed report on the recent suicides of two girls in Vithura region.
Out of the eight suicide attempt cases since the last few months, six died and two survived, sources added.