COIMBATORE: Four persons, including a 52-year-old man, were arrested on Saturday in connection with the sexual assault of a 15-year-old girl in a village near Pollachi. The arrested persons include the girl’s grandfather and her lover.
Police said the girl studying in class 11 was in a relationship with a 21-year-old man, a native of Udumalpet, working in a grocery shop near her house for the last two years. “When she became pregnant, she took the matter to her grandfather, who arranged medical assistance to abort her foetus. But later, the man started sexually assaulting her after threatening that he would inform her parents about pregnancy,” they said. Sources said, as the man continued the sexual harassment, she left the house on September 17 for her lover’s house at Madathukulam where the youth’s family allegedly arranged the marriage of the duo.
Meanwhile, the girl’s parents lodged a missing complaint with the Pollachi Taluk police. Following this, the youth’s family produced the girl at the police on September 23. A police officer said they came to know about the sexual assault only after subjecting the girl for a medical examination.
“During the investigation, the girl revealed the incidents and accused her lover and her grandfather of sexual assault. Based on her statement, the youth, grandfather, the man’s friend who helped them and an uncle of the youth were booked under POCSO Act,” he said. Three suspects were arrested on Friday and the youth was arrested on Saturday, police added.