Coimbatore: 71-year-old held for molesting 10-year-old girl

COIMBATORE: A 71-year-old man, who owns a grocery shop near Ramanathapuram area, was arrested for sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl inside his shop on Monday afternoon.
The accused was identified as C Kanagaraj. He was booked under Sections 376 (A) (B) and 506 (ii) of the Indian Penal Code and Sections 5 (l)(m), 6, 7 and 8 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act.
According to police, the incident took place when the girl went to the shop to buy grocery items. Police said Kanagaraj took the girl forcibly inside the shop and sexually assaulted her. He also threatened her not to tell anybody about the incident.
Around 2.30pm, the girl returned to her home and confided in her mother, who lodged a complaint with the Ramanathapuram police. The case was transferred to all women police (east), Ramanathapuram.
Kanagaraj was remanded in judicial custody and lodged in sub-jail at Bhavani in Erode district.
(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme Court directives on cases related to sexual assault)