In a horrific incident reported from Coimbatore, an 11-year-old girl was raped multiple times by the landlord’s son and his friends, and was forced to watch obscene videos.
Of the three minors accused, two of them have been taken into custody on Saturday. The authorities are on a lookout for the third, who is currently absconding.
According to the Times of India report, Gudia (maintaining anonymity), student of class VII stayed in a rented apartment near Sundarapuram locality in Coimbatore, with her widowed father and aunt, both employed, and often visited the landlord’s house on the ground floor to watch television.
The landlord’s son, a student of class X in a private school, stayed at home amid the ongoing lockdown and attended online classes.
On May 20, when Gudia visited the owner’s house as usual, she found two boys watching obscene videos on mobile, and tried to leave immediately. The boys caught hold of her and forced her to watch the videos with them.
Later in the evening, the accused barged into her apartment on the first floor, and raped her multiple times. This continued for a week, where the two, along with one of their classmates sexually assaulted her. Police said that they had warned her against telling anyone.
A few days later, Gudia was rushed to a nearby government hospital, after she developed a severe stomach ache. The inquiry and examination by doctors revealed the chilling details of the event, and the authorities alerted Podanur All-Women Police Station Inspector, Amutha.
Following, a case was registered against the three minor boys under Sections 5 (aggravated penetrative sexual assault) and 6 (punishment for aggravated penetrative sexual assault) of the POCSO Act.
The police caught hold of the two and presented them before a Juvenile Justice Board on Saturday, June 21. They are now lodged at an observation home for juveniles in Coimbatore.
A search team has been appointed to nab the third accused, and Girl investigations into the matter are underway.
