SRIKAKULAM: As many as 266 Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) cases have been reported so far since 2013 in the district. These cases include 65 reported till now, this year. Out of all the POCSO cases reported in the last six years, only 12 persons have been convicted so far. While as many as 139 persons were acquitted, about 13 cases were proved to be false. The victim compensation is granted only after the conviction.
Of the 266 cases, while about 13 were proved to be false, the accused in 139 cases were acquitted, 57 cases were in post-trial stage and 47 cases were under investigation, besides the 12 convictions.
The rest of the cases are at various stages, said KV Ramana, the district child protection officer.
For record, as many as 46 POCSO cases were reported in 2017, 44 in 2016, 60 in 2015, 34 in 2014 and 17 cases were reported in 2013.
An eight-year-old tribal girl was raped by her neighbour at Somagandi village in Seethampeta mandal on April 26 this year and probably this was the first case registered in Andrha Pradesh after the amended Act on sexual assaults on minors came into force. Apart from little immediate relief, no compensation has been paid to the victims so far. Similarly, a six-year-old girl was raped by her neighbour at Sompeta on March 7 this year.
“Earlier, we were granting compensation to the victims under GO MS 28 and now the compensation is being granted by the courts directly. Under the Kishori Shakti Yojana (KSY) programme, we have created awareness among 17,000 girls in the district,” said Ramana.
The second phase of the programme is likely to start in the next few days. Unlike earlier, adolescent boys would be roped in for the training programme, he said. Child rights, the POCSO, good touch and bad touch and other topics will be covered in the KSY programme.