CHENNAI: The Chennai city police arrested five men who allegedly raped a Class 10 girl on different occasions and remanded them under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act on Tuesday.On November 29, a 15-year-old girl was found at Egmore railway station along with one Anbazhagan (22) who owns a shop near Marina Beach. “They were about to board a train to Virudhachalam when two people from an NGO found something suspicious about the duo and informed the railway police. They were later handed over to an all-women police station in the city,” said a police officer.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the girl had eloped with Anbazhagan after he promised to marry her. Police alleged that Anbazhagan had raped the girl at his shop, with the promise of marriage. They boarded the train to go to his native village in Virudhachalam when the girl was rescued and the man was arrested.
“Further inquiries revealed that the girl had been raped by four others at various times, with promises of marrying her,” said a police officer. Based on the complaint, the police arrested Anbazhagan (22), Pushparaj (21) from Tindivanam, Vignesh (25) from Tiruvannamalai, Kodachi (30) and Anand (33) from Vandavasi.
According to the police, Pushparaj was working near her house. “She had fallen in love with Pushparaj and after they broke up, Vignesh lured her with sweet-nothings and took her out. When Pushparaj saw the girl with Vignesh, he threatened to break up if she did not stop going out with him.” said the police officer.
For any suspicious movement related to minors, call child helpline 1098.