In yet another instance of behavioural aberration towards minors, two girls, aged three and seven years, were allegedly sexually assaulted by their neighbour at Muppathadom in Aluva.
Unni Thomas, 52, a construction worker, was arrested by the Binanipuram police on Wednesday.
Officials said the children used to play on the premises of the accused’s house. “He sexually abused them after luring them to his house whenever his wife and two children were away for work. The incident first came to light when a woman neighbour witnessed the abuse and alerted the children’s parents,” they said.
However, the households initially refused to approach the police fearing social outlash. However, when the children began to behave differently at school, the teachers subjected them to counselling, their torture was revealed. They immediately alerted Childline authorities who in turn informed the police.
Two separate cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act were filed against the accused. He was produced before the Aluva judicial first class magistrate court which remanded him to 14 days judicial custody.
