KASARGOD: The Nileshwar police on Monday arrested a 50-year-old man, a former madrassa teacher, for sexually abusing his 16-year-old daughter repeatedly over the past two years. It also booked six youths in their early twenties for sexually abusing the girl and arrested three of them – Riyas, 19, Ijaz, 20, and Mohammed Ali, 20. All seven persons have been booked under the POCSO Act.P R Manoj, the investigating officer said the girl was impregnated and underwent an illegal abortion two months ago.
“The doctor who performed the abortion is also under investigation as he failed to report the crime,” said a senior police officer. Manoj said the role of the mother is yet to be ascertained. The crime came to light after the girl’s maternal uncle (mother’s brother) found something amiss with her behaviour. She is now living in his house. The girl has given an in-camera statement to the Hosdurg magistrate. “There may be more accused persons. We have only completed our preliminary investigation,” said Manoj.
Sources said the girl’s relatives stood by her and encouraged her to approach the police against her father and other abusers. Manoj said the Child Welfare Committee would now take over the girl’s responsibility. Her house would be declared unsafe for children and she would be provided with counselling and support.
A repeat sexual offender
Investigating officer said the girl’s father was a repeat sexual offender and was accused of sexually assaulting four minor boys under the Bekal police station limits in 2017. Though four cases were registered against him under the POCSO Act, he received bail as the legal proceedings dragged on in court. He is a native of Sulliya in the Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka and has another wife and five children there. He came to Kasaragod to teach in the madrasa. After the alleged sexual assault in Bekal, he was sacked, said an officer.