KOCHI: A 28-year-old Navy sailor was arrested on Tuesday for the alleged sexual assault on a minor girl. The accused, who works as a ‘seaman’ at the Southern Naval Command in Kochi, is a native of Rohtak in Haryana and has been residing at a rented house in Kochi. He was arrested by a special squad from the Harbour crime police station.
He has been booked under various sections of the POCSO Act and for rape under the BNS, a source with Kochi city police said.
“The accused allegedly assaulted the 15-year-old sexually after luring her under the pretense of a relationship,” an officer with Harbour police said.
The man, who is married and has a child, allegedly got acquainted with the minor, the daughter of a uniformed officer, through social media platforms. He reportedly misrepresented himself as a bachelor and concealed his true age to develop a relationship.
Once the friendship grew, he allegedly lured the girl to a residence in Mundamveli where the assault occurred, the officer said.
The case was registered based on the girl’s statement, after her parents lodged a complaint. The accused was presented in court and remanded in judicial custody.