Schoolgirl sexually exploited by neighbour rescued in Coimbatore

A 13-year-old school girl from Coimbatore, who went missing two months ago, has been rescued from the custody of her neighbour who had taken her to Bangalore and allegedly sexually assaulted her for two months.

The police rescued her on Monday evening when the man returned with her in search of a contact for money. The girl was sent to the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital for medical examination on Tuesday.

Investigations revealed that their neighbour, Perumal (24), a construction worker from Ginjee, had moved in recently with a woman who he claimed was his wife. Police gave her name as Lakshmi. Perumal and Lakshmi disappeared at about the same time the girl went missing.

The police became suspicious and began to track both of them. After locating Lakshmi in another part of the city, the police got from her Perumal’s mobile phone number and began monitoring it. On coming to know that Perumal was coming back to the city to get some money from Lakshmi, a team led by Inspector Thirumeni lay in wait and nabbed him.

The accused said he picked up the girl on his two-wheeler on the pretext of dropping her home after school, but took her to Ginjee where she was kept for a couple of days. Later, he took her to Bangalore and confined her to a room and repeatedly raped her.

A case has been registered under Indian Penal Code Section 366 (procuration of minor girl), 376 (rape), 344 (wrongful confinement), 506 (i) (criminal intimidation) and also Sections 4 and 6 of Protection of Children against Sexual Offences Act, 2012.

Woman attempts suicide

Namakkal reporter writes:

The Venanthur police arrested a 59-year-old man on Tuesday after a 34-year-old woman, employed as a domestic help in his house, accused him of sexually exploiting her for nearly a year. She attempted suicide on Monday after being forced by him to leave the house.

Inspector K.M. Manoharan, who is investigating the case, said the accused R. Dhanapalan was separated from his wife and children for many years and lived with his mother.

A case was registered against Dhanapalan under Sections 376 (rape) and 417 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Women Harassment Act, 2002.