VIJAYAWADA: The police have registered a case under the Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act against a 55-year-old man accused of allegedly sexually assaulting students at the Swami Dayananda Saraswati Hostel in Eluru district on Wednesday.
The minor victims reported the abuse to Eluru Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) K Sravan Kumar, who immediately registered the case and launched a manhunt for the accused and his accomplices.
According to the DSP, the accused, B Sasi Kumar, an employee of the BC Welfare Department and hostel warden at Yerraguntapalli village in Chinthalapudi mandal, took over the hostel after the previous operator ceased operations due to financial losses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the investigation, Sasi Kumar had proposed teaching Photoshop and other courses. While some students accepted, others declined due to prior concerns about sexual advances. The victims also reported that Sasi Kumar took a minor girl to his home in Bapatla and returned her after 48 hours.
The students and their parents, distressed by the incident, lodged a complaint with the police. The victims also alleged that the accused used to beam them and committed sexual assault by tying hands and legs.
“Sasi Kumar used to act as a chief warden of the hostel along with his second wife and other women. The accused also owned a photo studio in the town. In the guise of taking photos, he used to take the girls aged above 16 and committed heinous crime in the studio, promising them jobs. We are investigating the case thoroughly,” added DSP Sravan Kumar.
A case has been registered against him and two others under relevant sections of POCSO Act and further investigation is underway.