In Tamil Nadu, there has been an increase in crimes against women recently. Another incident of crime against women, particularly sexual assault, sent shock waves among the public, particularly among parents of teenagers who are having a challenging time keeping their daughters safe from the preying predators.
On May 12, the Udumalpet police arrested nine persons , including three juveniles under the POCSO act in the Tirupur district., in connection with a gang rape incident involving of 13 and 17-year-old minor girls They sent the six to Coimbatore central prison and the three juveniles to an observation home at Lakshmi Mills junction in Coimbatore. Six of the accused are in the age group of 19 to 24 years, while juveniles are between 14 and 16.
According to police and media reports, the accused have raped the teenagers on multiple occasions over five months. The 17-year-old minor was raped by nine youths multiple times, and the 13-year-old was raped by two youths repeatedly.
A grandmother of 17 years, a resident of Udumalaipe, lodged a complaint with the Udumalpet All Women Police Station after she found out the difference in her physical appearance. The girl was taken to a local hospital for a check-up, where it was revealed she was four months pregnant. This news startled her relatives, and upon questioning her, she revealed her harrowing nightmarish experience. She said that she was sexually exploited by 9 individuals, including 3 young boys.
Police said “the girl was a tenth standard dropout. Her parents had died when she was a child, and she was adopted by relatives. They, too, died seven years ago. She encountered a 14-year-old boy during her job hunt, who was employed as a helper in a nearby ration shop. He assured her of getting her a job, so she established a friendly relationship with him, trusting his promises. It is learned that the girl fell in love with a minor boy who sexually assaulted her repeatedly at various places in Udumalaipet for the past year. The boy introduced her to his friends, who also raped her multiple times. Then she was raped by a daily wage labourer repeatedly. The 13-year-old girl, a drop out , was also repeatedly raped by a youth with whom she fell in love. The girls knew each other and were raped by each other’s lovers.”
The police, in response to this complaint, registered a case under the POCSO Act arrested Jaya Kaliswaran (19), Madankumar (19), Bharani Kumar (21), Prakash (24), Nandagopal (19), Bhava Bharti (22), along with 3 minors aged 14, 15, and 16. All accused are residents of the Udumalai area. Following their arrest, the nine were presented before the court and subsequently imprisoned.
Meanwhile, one of the minor boys , consumed handwashing liquid in an attempt to end his life. He has been admitted to a hospital, where he developed nausea and vomiting. His condition is now stable.
In another shocking incident, police arrested Swender 23, Surya 26 and Jebakumar 23 on May 12 in connection with the gang rape and murder of a woman at Madharpakkan near Gummidipoondi in Thiruvallur district last week. Passersby informed the police about a woman’s body in her 30s , partly clothed and with injuries all over her body. CCTV footage showed a woman buying liquor on the night of May 8, followed by a few youngsters. They would have raped and killed in a drunken state, it is believed.
“Had it happened in any of the BJP-ruled states, the DMK controlled media would have run debates and flashed the news repeatedly? Print media would have written reams of papers” says a critic.
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