The police on Thursday arrested a 33-year-old man for allegedly raping a 13-year-old schoolgirl and later driving her to end her life by blackmailing her.
When the Taramani police began investigating the suicide of the girl, they found a suspicious SMS on the phone of the victim’s mother from one Gunaseelan, 33, who had moved to Kallukuttai right after the girl’s death. The parents said Gunaseelan used to tutor the victim.
The police screened his mobile phone and recovered incriminating photos and videos. Gunaseelan fled but was nabbed by a special team near Valparai.
He confessed that he used the victim’s compromising pictures and asked her for sexual favours.
He said she killed herself after he threatened to release the photos and videos on the internet.
Gunaseelan was charged under the POCSO Act.
A letter from the Editor
Dear reader,
We have been keeping you up-to-date with information on the developments in India and the world that have a bearing on our health and wellbeing, our lives and livelihoods, during these difficult times. To enable wide dissemination of news that is in public interest, we have increased the number of articles that can be read free, and extended free trial periods. However, we have a request for those who can afford to subscribe: please do. As we fight disinformation and misinformation, and keep apace with the happenings, we need to commit greater resources to news gathering operations. We promise to deliver quality journalism that stays away from vested interest and political propaganda.
Support Quality Journalism
A letter from the Editor
Dear subscriber,
Thank you!
Your support for our journalism is invaluable. It’s a support for truth and fairness in journalism. It has helped us keep apace with events and happenings.
The Hindu has always stood for journalism that is in the public interest. At this difficult time, it becomes even more important that we have access to information that has a bearing on our health and well-being, our lives, and livelihoods. As a subscriber, you are not only a beneficiary of our work but also its enabler.
We also reiterate here the promise that our team of reporters, copy editors, fact-checkers, designers, and photographers will deliver quality journalism that stays away from vested interest and political propaganda.
Suresh Nambath