MANGALURU: Deputy Commissioner and district magistrate Sasikanth
Senthil S on Tuesday warned all concerned not to use the picture or name of
Kathua rape victim in any manner or form. Noting that organisations, individuals and other stakeholders were doing so with impunity in connection with various protests being held across the district in this connection in banners, posters and various forms of social media, Senthil said this is against the law.
Persons doing so are in violation of section 23 (2) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012 as well as section 74 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.
These acts explicitly prohibit identifying victims of sexual assault who are below 18-years in any form, Senthil said, directing any organisation that may have displayed her picture and name in public in flex/banners to remove the same at the earliest.
File photo