Neighbour arrested for sexual assault and murder of seven-year-old TN girl

The girl had gone missing from her house on Tuesday evening. On Wednesday evening, her body was found in a pond near her house with multiple injuries.
For representational purposes
For representational purposes

PUDUKKOTTAI: A 25-year-old man was arrested for the murder and sexual assault of a seven-year-old Dalit girl in Yembal, Aranthangi. The girl, the daughter of agricultural labourers, had gone missing from her house on Tuesday evening. On Wednesday evening her body was found in a pond near her house. She was found with multiple injuries on her body and a torn dress.

Police said the accused, identified as Raja, was the child’s neighbour and known to her. He runs a flower shop in the area. Pudukkottai Superintendent of Police Arun Sakthikumar said that the accused had confessed to the crime. On Tuesday evening, the accused allegedly followed the child when she went out to play in the evening. Police said he attempted to rape her. However, as she resisted and screamed, he allegedly struck her on the chest with a rock and beat her on the head.

“He said that he committed the crime alone. After attempting to rape her, he killed her as he didn’t want to be identified. The post mortem report confirms our suspicions,” said Sakthikumar, who was on the spot Wednesday evening. Sakthikumar said that although Raja claimed to have attempted to rape her, he was being booked for rape as any penetration was considered rape according to the law. Therefore the FIR was filed under Section 376 (Rape), 302 (Murder) and other sections of the POCSO act.

Police said the family and villagers believed the case was one of gang sexual assault. “However, the accused has accepted that he did this alone,” said a police official.

Although the child’s body was found Wednesday evening, the post mortem examination was conducted only on Thursday evening. Villagers and the child’s family had agitated and refused to come to Pudukkottai medical college hospital to claim the body till Thursday evening. They had demanded a compensation of Rs 50 lakh from the government. The post mortem examination was completed only after police intervened.

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has taken cognizance of the case and sought a report from the Pudukkottai SP and Collector.    

As outrage over the incident spread, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Thursday expressed shock and assured action. "Stern action will be taken against the perpetrators of this heinous crime. I convey my condolences to the family of the girl,” he said on Twitter.

Opposition parties too condemned the incident and urged strong action. DMK president MK Stalin on Thursday, in a Facebook post, expressed concern over the status of law and order in the state. He said that such incidents raised questions over the safety of women and girl children and he urged that an end be put to such crimes.

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com