SALEM: Bringing back memories of the Nirbhaya gangrape case in Delhi, a minor girl was sexually assaulted in a bus at Narayanampalayam in the district late on Monday.
Three persons, including the private bus driver and conductor, were arrested on Tuesday in connection with the case.
Omalur Police said the 15-year-old girl studying in Class X and residing in Salem quarrelled with her parents and went to Salem Old Bus Stand, where she boarded a private bus heading towards Narayanampalayam near Omalur. She travelled in the bus throughout the day. When the last trip was over, it was 10.30 pm. But the girl stayed put.
Bus conductor Perumal (22), a resident of Muthampatti, befriended the girl and asked her why she was not alighting the bus. The innocent girl, who seemed to be unaware of the dangers involved, told him about the quarrel with her parents.
Sensing an opportunity, Perumal and bus drivers Manivannan (33), a resident of Sanniyasigundu, and Murugan (35), a resident of Athikarapatty, started misbehaving with her and later allegedly raped the minor girl.
Around 1.30 am, she managed to escape from their clutches, ran to a village in the vicinity and raised an alarm. Anxious villagers soon gathered around her and the girl narrated her plight to them.
Seized of the matter, angry villagers rushed to the spot, attacked the conductor and drivers and handed them over to Omalur Police. A case was registered under Sections 366 (A) (procreation of minor girl), 342 (wrongful confinement), 376 (D) and 506 (i) (criminal intimidation) of IPC and Section 5 (g) and 6 (aggravated penetrative sexual assault) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, and Section 3 (1), 3 (2) (v) of SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act, 2015.
The three men were arrested and remanded in Salem Central Prison on Tuesday. The private bus in which the girl was allegedly raped was also seized. The police have admitted the girl to the Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College Hospital for a medical test.
Police sources told Express that she regularly travelled in the private bus in question to school. In the course of her commute, she became friends with the bus conductor. On Monday, after quarrelling with her parents, she went to see him and instead found another conductor in the bus.
She travelled in the bus throughout the day. Noticing this, the conductor befriended her.
Superintendent of Police P Rajan said the three men have confessed to the crime.