On Thursday, the Mahila Court in Chennai convicted for the first time a 55-year old man under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act 2012 for molesting a 10-year old mentally challenged girl.The accused, P. Karuppiah, was found guilty under Section 354 of the IPC (Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and Sections 7 and 8 of the POCSO Act. He has been awarded five years rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 5,000.
The girl was the daughter of a couple living on the pavement in Guindy. On May 20, the couple was sitting outside the hut and talking when they heard the girl cry. Even as they rushed in, the accused ran out of the hut. Locals caught hold of him and handed him over to the police.
Investigation revealed that Karuppiah was working in a company opposite the child’s hut and was known to her family. “The girl could say his name too,” a police officer attached to the Guindy police station.
Earlier only rape cases were brought to the Mahila Court. “After the Act was introduced, parents are coming forward to lodge complaints,” said Gowri Ashokan, special public prosecutor.
Meanwhile, Vidya Reddy of Tulir-Centre for the Prevention and Healing of Child Sexual Abuse commended the fact that the case had been completed expeditiously. “It is very difficult to get a statement from such children who are abused. It is a great challenge,” she said.
Ms. Ashokan also agreed that it was a challenge to understand what the girl was saying. “Through gestures , she explained what had happened. She also mumbled something of what the accused had done. She nodded in confirmation when we said the full sentence. She was even cross questioned many times, but her version did not change,” Ms. Ashokan said.
