Even before the 21 years, Anna University, second-year student rape incident on December 23 faded out from the memory of the people in Tamil Nadu, a similar incident took place in Puducherry shocks and leaves a big question on the safety of women and girls in the union territory.
According to Daily Thanthi, a vernacular Tamil daily, a gang entered the Puducherry Technological University (PTU)and threatened the male friend of a girl student before assaulting him. One of the gang members is a private employee of the university.
PTU is the first state University of Union Territory of Puducherry. It seamlessly came into existence on 5th September 2020 upon the elevation of erstwhile Pondicherry Engineering College – PEC (established in the year 1985 under the 7th five-year plan) with the University status.
In PTU, over thousands students including foreigners and north Indians are studying. On Sunday evening, January 13, first year student was spending her time in a secluded place along with her boyfriend. A three-member gang arrived at the place and had threatened them. The trio attacked male friend of the student. Exploiting her being alone in a secluded place, the trio sexually assaulted her and threatened not to open her mouth about the incident before leaving the place.
Some reports say, the trio sexually harassed her and outraged her modesty and misbehaved with her. Upon receiving the complaint from the victim, the PTU administration lodged a plaint with police who registered an FIR and are investigating. During the investigation, police found one of the assaulters is a temporary staff of the university. The police, who took custody of CCTV footages and after reviewing the same, are trying to arrest the trio. Also, they are trying to find out whether more members in the gang and their earlier assaults if any.
In another shocking incident in Chennai Kilpauk Government College and Hospital, a 24-year-old youth Sathish Kumar was arrested on charges of barging into a women’s ward and sexually harassing a 50 years old woman admitted there. On hearing the scream of the woman, others in the word overpowered him and handed over him to police. During the questioning, the police found he was drunk ( a usual stand of TN police or mentally unsound) and is from Ranipet district. He came to hospital to visit his acquaintance. The incident took place on Sunday night.
#JUSTIN சென்னை கீழ்ப்பாக்கம் அரசு மருத்துவமனையில் பெண் நோயாளிக்கு பாலியல் தொல்லை – ஒருவர் கைது#Chennai #Kilpauk #SexualAbuse #Arrest #News18Tamilnadu | https://t.co/3v5L32pLWJ pic.twitter.com/AtQZmGTNmV
— News18 Tamil Nadu (@News18TamilNadu) January 13, 2025
Taking to his social media platform X, AIADMK general secretary Edapadi K Palaniswamy condemned the incident saying “ I am concerned about the safety of the women in Tamil Nadu. Such incidents are common due the ruling party and because of “Sirs” are being pampered. We don’t how many more “Sirs” continue to emerge in the days to come”.
In another incident, police arrested a 19 years old youth Aravind on charges of grouping a 22 year old woman, a native of Assam, employed at a beauty parlour in Amijikarai. It is learnt when the woman was walking down the road, the Aravind pounced her and groped her on a dimly lit street. Based on her complaint and with the help of CCTV footage, the police made the arrest.
Even boys are not safe in Tamil Nadu. In Theni, police booked cases against Chief manager Farooq (55), manager Sarfuddin (45) both work in a madrasa and two juveniles aged 17 and 14 under: POCSO, for sexually assaulting a 14years old student who is staying in a madrasa. The victim, who is studying in 9th standard told his parents that a 17 years old student, on November 19, last year took him to upper floor and sexually assaulted. Farooq did not act on his complaint. On January 1st, 14 years old juvenile sexually assaulted the boy when he was sleeping. Unable to bear the pain following forced penetration in his anus, he sought permission from Farooq to go home to meet his parents. He told his parents that he was suffering from severe pain. When they took him to Theni Government hospital where he was admitted in ICU. Based on the complaint, police arrested two juveniles and two staff of the madrasa. While the Farooq has been hiding, the police arrested the other three.
In another incident, Police arrested M S Shah, state president of BJP’s Economic Wing, was in a relationship with his former wife for a while, before sexually assaulting his teenage daughter several times. In communication with the teenager, Shah also assured the girl of material gifts if she cooperated. it is learnt that the case was registered against Shah and the victim’s mother, but it was closed by the investigating officer as the victim later denied the charges in her statement. Now a fresh case was booked against Shah and the victim’s mother. The incident came to light last year when the girl’s father approached the district court in April 2024, after which the judge ordered the city police to register a case. The girl’s mother, who allegedly colluded with the accused, was also arrested.
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