Tuticorin man arrested for raping, impregnating his minor daughter

TUTICORIN: The Vilathikulam all-woman police in Tuticorin district on Thursday arrested a 45-year-old man for raping and impregnating his 14-year-old daughter.
Doctors opined that pregnancy termination may be risky as the girl’s gestational age was seven months.
The incident came to light on Wednesday when the minor fell ill and was taken to Pudur primary health centre (PHC).
According to police, her father Karuppasamy was engaged in making coal from firewood. He has two wives, who are siblings. Each wife has a daughter and both the families lived separately in a village near Pudur.
The victim was the second wife’s daughter and studied in Class IX in a government school.
Karuppasamy was an alcoholic and the girl’s mother worked as a labourer under the 100 days job guarantee scheme.
Preliminary inquiries with the girl revealed that she was raped by her father, who was in an inebriated condition, when she was alone in her home on December 14 and 15.
After the assault, Karuppasamy threatened the girl saying he would kill her if she told anyone about the incident.
On Wednesday, the girl was taken to Pudur PHC after she vomited and fell ill. Her pregnancy was confirmed there, and she was referred to Thoothukudi Government Medical College and Hospital.
Based on her statement the man was booked under Sections 5(n) (relative of a child having a domestic relationship with a parent of the child commits penetrative sexual assault on such child), 5(l) (penetrative sexual assault on a child more than once), 5(j)(ii) (impregnating a girl child) and 6 (punishment for aggravated penetrative sexual assault) of the Pocso Act.
He was also booked under Section 506(i) (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code.
Karuppasamy absconded after a case was registered. Later, he was arrested by a team led by Ettayapuram inspector Kala and was handed over to the Vilathikulam police.
District child protection officer B Jothikumar said the minor was counselled and that she expressed her willingness to abort the child.
“Doctors said that the baby was fully grown and an abortion would be dangerous at this stage. After the scans and tests results are declared, a decision will be taken,” he said.
He added that the girl was weak and was low on haemoglobin. “As the victim suffered from cold, she was admitted to the labour isolation ward in the hospital and her swab samples were collected for Covid-19 test. The results for the same will be declared on Friday. Counselling for the girl will continue and she will be constant monitored by district child protection unit and child welfare committee,” Jothikumar said.