The All Women Police Station, Perur, on Sunday arrested a 35-year-old man on charges of sexually assaulting and impregnating his minor relative.
The 16-year-old girl whom doctors found in the second trimester was admitted to the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH). Police said that a resident of a village near K.G. Chavady was arrested based on a complaint filed by the girl, a class XI student. The accused, a daily wager, allegedly sexually assaulted her first in June 2019 and then on several occasions by threatening to reveal the incident to her parents. The sexual assault came to light following a medical camp held at the school last month. The medical team at the camp had directed her to have a check-up at CMCH. She was found six months pregnant in medical examinations done at CMCH. The girl was given counselling and she lodged a complaint with the police. The man was arrested for offences under Sections 5 (j) (ii) (whoever commits penetrative sexual assault on a child which makes the child pregnant as a consequence of sexual assault), 5 (l) (whoever commits penetrative sexual assault on the child more than once or repeatedly) 5 (n) (whoever being a relative of the child through blood or adoption or marriage or guardianship or in foster care or having a domestic relationship with a parent of the child or who is living in the same or shared household with the child, commits penetrative sexual assault on such child) and 6 (punishment for aggravated penetrative sexual assault) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.
He was remanded in judicial custody on Sunday.