CHENNAI: Two cab drivers were arrested on Sunday by the St Thomas Mount All Women Police on charges of kidnapping and raping a 17-year-old girl who had left her aunt’s house in Nandambakkam after a tiff with her. The accused were booked under the Pocso Act and remanded in judicial custody on Monday.
The victim was sent for a medical examination and has been sheltered at a rescue home, sources said.
According to police, the girl had completed Class 12 in Tiruvannamalai where she lived under the care of her grandmother. Her parents had passed away several years ago. After completing her schooling, she came to Chennai to live with her aunt, police said.
On the afternoon of November 12, the girl left her aunt’s house and ventured out alone after she got into an argument with her.
“Subsequently, she flagged down a cab, driven by the accused, Bakkiyaraj (38). When she told him about her situation and that she was looking for a job, Bakkiyaraj took her to Chennai Central Station. He then contacted his friend, the other accused, Paramasivam (40), who arrived at the spot,” police said.
Paramasivam took the girl to his home at Kilambakkam and introduced her to his family as his friend’s daughter who had come to the city in search of employment, police said. She stayed with the family for two days and would go job hunting with Paramasivam, they added. In the meantime, her aunt lodged a missing person complaint with the Nandambakkam police who began a probe.
On November 15, the girl decided to go back to her aunt’s place as the job search failed to yield any results, said police. After reaching Nandambakkam, she called Bakkiyaraj and informed him of the developments. In response, Bakkiyaraj told her that he would pick her up again to go job hunting one last time, police said.
Before she could reach her aunt’s residence, Bakkiyaraj picked up the girl and allegedly raped her in the car. He then called Paramasivam, who arrived a few hours later, picked her up in his cab and sexually assaulted her, before dropping her off at Nandambakkam again.
Subsequently, the survivor reached her aunt’s house and told her about the incident. On Saturday, upon information from her aunt, the missing person complaint was altered to Pocso case and was transferred to St Thomas Mount AWPS. Police arrested Bakkiyaraj and Paramasivam on Sunday.