Coimbatore: Police on Wednesday arrested two men for sexually assaulting minor girls in Coimbatore and Tirupur.
The all-woman police (east) in Coimbatore city arrested Shiva, 25, of Machur near Kodaikanal in Dindigul district after parents of a 17-year-old girl lodged a missing complaint. “Her parents, natives of Usilampatti in Dindigul who were working as labourers in Coimbatore city, had married her off to her relative Kumar,30, of Usilampatti when she was just 15 years old. The girl had visited her parents in Coimbatore and went missing from here on October 8. Her parents lodged a missing complaint with the Saravanampatti police, who found her with Shiva at Machur near Kodaikanal,” a police officer said.
Police brought the duo to Coimbatore on Wednesday. After realising that the girl was a minor, the case was handed over to the all-woman (east) police. “She had met Shiva a few months ago and married him at a temple a few days ago,” the officer added.
Police have registered a case against Shiva and Kumar for sexual assault under sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act, 2012. They also booked the girl’s parents and Kumar’s mother for conducting child marriage. Shiva was remanded in judicial custody. Kumar is absconding.
A 47-year-old man from a village near Udumalpet was arrested for sexually assaulting an eight-year-old girl. K Ammavasai attacked the girl when she was alone in her house four months ago, police sources said. Though her mother hesitated to lodge a police complaint, her relatives advised her to do so. Based on the complaint, the all women police in Udumalpet registered a case and arrested Ammavasai under the Pocso Act.