THOOTHUKUDI: A police constable and his friend were arrested under provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and IPC for allegedly sexually abusing a 16-year-old girl and for extortion.
Sources said that girl and her lover were on a visit to the Mela Puthukudi Temple near Kurumbur on October 10 when based on a tip-off the constable and his friend reached the spot. The duo reportedly held the girl captive and asked the 20-year-old boy to bring Rs 10,000 to free her. The assailants had allegedly recorded a video of the couple.
When the boy went to arrange for the money, the duo allegedly took her to a secluded spot near Theri forest and sexually abused her. The boy and girl were let off after he returned with Rs 5,000, sources said. However, the policeman and his friend contacted the parents of the girl and tried to extort money. They threatened to release the video in case they failed to pay up.
The girl then lodged a complaint with the Tiruchendur AWPS. Based on a complaint, the policeman and his friend were booked under section 9(a), 10 of POCSO Act, and 354(c), 506(1), 387 of the IPC.