COIMBATORE: A 65-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly sexually assaulting a schoolgirl. His wife (55), who is the victim's headmistress, was also arrested for reportedly withholding information about the incident.
The issue came to light on Monday after the 10-year-old victim's parents lodged a complaint at the Pollachi All Women Police Station. According to police, the victim studies at a government school in the district, where the sexagenarian's wife is the headmistress. Preliminary inquiry revealed that the elderly man reportedly assaulted the girl several times during his visits to the school to pick up his wife. Aware of her husband's behaviour, the headmistress allegedly threatened and beat up the girl instead of reporting the crime.
Police booked the man under Section 342 (wrongful constraint) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 5(l),(m) and (r) of the POCSO Act. The headmistress was booked under Sections 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt) and 506 (i) (criminal intimidation) of the IPC and Section 5 (l), (m) of the POCSO Act. A probe has been launched to find out if any other child was sexually assaulted by the suspect.