VIJAYAWADA: Machilipatnam police have registered a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act against a 50-year-old private school assistant for allegedly harassing a minor girl under the pretext of marriage. The accused, identified as Suryadevara Kanna Jashuva, was taken into police custody on Friday.
According to the police, the girl and her family had been subjected to harassment by Jashuva for the last six months, with repeated proposals for marriage. The girl, who lost her father a few years ago, had stopped attending school after completing the Class IX to care for her ailing mother. Jashuva, taking advantage of their vulnerable situation, frequently visited their home and proposed marriage to the minor. When she refused, he allegedly threatened them with dire consequences and attempted to assault her on several occasions. Based on the girl’s complaint, the police registered a case and are currently investigating.
It has also come to light that the accused has a prior criminal history, including a case registered against him at Gudivada police station for abetting a minor girl in a suicide attempt.