PERAMBALUR: Perambalur All Women Police on Thursday registered a case under the POCSO Act on a sports coach and the district sports officer over alleged sexual harassment of girl students undergoing sports training at the Perambalur government sports hostel. Police are yet to record their arrest, sources said.
Sources said over 40 girl students undergo Taekwondo training under the guidance of N Dharmarajan, 35, at the hostel. It is said that District Sports Officer Suresh turned a blind eye to the complaints of sexual harassment received from multiple students on Dharmarajan. Roiled over inaction, the complainants approached the District Judge of the District Child Protection Unit Law Probation Officer Gopinath in November. Subsequent inspections by District Child Protection Unit Law Probation Officer Gopinath verified the complaints to be valid.
On December 7, All Women Police registered a case against Dharmarajan for sexual harassment and DSO Suresh for official negligence. However, their arrests are yet to be recorded, resulting in National Federation of Indian Women District Secretary Kalyani submitting a petition at the District Collectorate and with the DSP on Thursday.
In the meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Sports Development Authority have ordered for the transfer of DSO Suresh for failing to take action on the complaints.
Locked in for misbehaving, 10 students break open bus door
Chennai: Locked inside an MTC bus for misbehaving with women, a group of at least 10 college students broke open the automatic door at Tambaram on Thursday morning, police said. According to police, the students, belonging to different private colleges in Tambaram and Selaiyur, boarded bus number 31A, which plies between East Tambaram and Agaramthen.
“They were disturbing some women college students by singing songs and were standing on the footboard, insisting the driver leave the door open. They were also hindering women commuters who were boarding buses at different stops,” said a senior police officer. When the bus reached Thiruvancheri, the driver, who was unable to control the students, stopped the bus, locked the door and informed the police.
The students argued and banged on the door repeatedly, demanding it be opened, but the bus crew refused, said the police. On noticing a police patrol vehicle arriving at the scene, the students broke the door and escaped from the bus. Police tried to chase them but in vain. They have launched a hunt for the students who are still at large.