A youth was arrested by the Tirupur police on Saturday for allegedly raping an eight-year-old girl. Three of his friends were detained for questioning, police said.
Meanwhile, residents of the area in large numbers staged a road blockade demanding the highest punishment for the accused.
According to police, the girl, studying in Class II at a private school in Tirupur, used to be alone at home in the evenings till her mother returned from work at a garment manufacturing unit. Her father worked in Chennai and the girl lived with her mother in a rented house.
On Friday night, when the mother returned home from work, she was shocked to find the girl unconscious inside the house. She rushed her to the Tirupur Headquarters Government Hospital and got her admitted. Soon after she came to her senses, the rape incident was revealed and she lodged a complaint with the Anuparpalayam police.
Police identified the accused as Kannan (23) and his accomplices as Devendran (27), from Kattumannarkudi, Raja (41) and Saravanan (40), from Tiriuvannamalai. All of them worked in garment manufacturing units in Tirupur.
“They became friends when they were in the same garment manufacturing unit six months ago. Kannan and Devendran were unmarried stayed in a rented house adjacent to the girl’s house within the compound. Meanwhile, Raja and Saravanan, who stayed at Bhavani Nagar with their wives and children, joined in another garment manufacturing unit. They visited the bachelor duo’s house for consuming alcohol,” police said.
“On Friday too, they consumed alcohol at the room. Kannan, who spotted the girl alone at home, raped her. When the girl became unconscious, he fled from the spot leaving her behind,” the police added.
The Tirupur All Women Police registered a case against Kannan and sent him to remand.