CHENNAI: A 15-year-old horse handler was detained for allegedly sexually assaulting a six-year-old girl during a horse ride at Marina Beach on Saturday. According to police sources, the accused, a school dropout, worked as a daily-wage helper for a horse owner.
The incident took place around 7 pm when a family of six, including the survivor, from Chromepet arrived at the beach. The girl expressed interest in a horse ride, and her family agreed. The boy then took her on the horse near the service road.
However, instead of remaining near the service road where the family was waiting, the boy allegedly took the child about 400 metres towards the seashore, to a spot out of the family’s sight in the darkness.
When the family rushes to the shore in search of her, the boy returned to the service road with the child. Noticing that the child was in distress, the family questioned her. When the girl informed the family about the alleged assault, they attacked the boy, police sources said.
The horse owner, who arrived at the scene, intervened and pulled the boy away from the crowd. Based on a complaint at the all-women police station in Mylapore, the teenager was subjected to a medical examination and detained. He was later produced before a probation officer on the directions of the Child Welfare Committee.
