CHENNAI: A 10-year-old girl, walking home from her school, was allegedly abducted and sexually assaulted by a man near Gummidipoondi on Saturday. The Tiruvallur district police have launched a search for the man.
According to initial reports, the Class 4 girl was walking alone when the man followed her, took her to a secluded location and sexually assaulted her. The child later managed to flee and informed her grandmother, who took her to the Ponneri Government Hospital. She was then referred to a government hospital in Chennai for further treatment.
Following a complaint from the family, a case has been registered under relevant sections of the BNS and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act.
The police have started an inquiry and are reviewing CCTV footage from the area. One video, which has surfaced online, shows a man in his 20s abducting the girl. Efforts to identify and apprehend the suspects are under way.
The police are also examining footage from nearby streets and are questioning residents who may have seen the suspect in the area around the time of the incident.
Speaking to TNIE, an official privy to the investigation, said the child is yet to be discharged from the hospital, and they are awaiting a report from the hospital.