KRISHNAGIRI: Five minor boys aged between 13 and 15 were apprehended for allegedly sexually assaulting two sisters aged nine and 13 on the terrace of their home near Hosur on Saturday afternoon.
According to police, among the five boys — all hailing from the same area in Hosur — three are studying in Class 8 and 9 in a government school, while the other two are dropouts. They often roam around the neighbourhood, collect leftover construction material and sell it to buy snacks. At times, they also go seeking food from the houses in the area, police added.
On Saturday afternoon, the group of boys had gone up to the terrace of a house in the neighbourhood. Hearing their racket, the two survivors — studying in Class 4 and 7 — who lived there and were home alone, went up to investigate. Upon spotting them, police said one of the boys grabbed the younger girl and covered her mouth with his hand to silence her.
Later, the boys allegedly stuffed cloth in her mouth. Her 13-year-old sister attempted to fend off the boys, but they allegedly tied her hands and gagged her mouth. Police said both girls fainted and the boys sexually assaulted them.
“After a short while, a neighbour came up to her terrace, spotted the two girls lying unconscious on the adjoining balcony and informed their parents,” police said. At the time of the incident, one of their parents was at work and the other was out of station.
On Saturday evening, the girls’ father went to Hosur town police station to file a complaint and was referred to the Hosur all-women’s police station. Upon receiving the complaint, police launched a search and secured three of the minors late on Saturday night and the other two on Sunday.
Five booked under Pocso Act
All five of them were booked under Section 7 (sexual assault) r/w 8 of the Pocso Act and were produced at the Juvenile Justice Board in Krishnagiri on Sunday. Notably, the district child protection unit was not informed by Hosur police as per procedure, and was unaware of the incident until TNIE alerted them. Child-related complaints can be made through Childline at 1098.