The police have registered a case against six persons under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act on charges of sexually abusing five minor girls and using them as bonded labourers.
According to Senior Superintendent of Police (Law and Order) Pratiksha Godara, the accused kept the girls as bonded labourers for rearing ducks.
The Child Welfare Committee rescued the children last month and provided them shelter at Vuthavum Karangal Child Care Centre.
The children were offered psychological counselling and later admitted to Rajiv Gandhi Women and Children’s Hospital for medical examination and treatment.
Bonded labourers
The statements of children revealed that they were sexually abused and used as bonded labourers, she said.
The Mangalam police have registered a case and secured the accused persons — Kanniappan, Rajkumar, Pasupathi, Iyyanar, Siva and Moorthy.
The six were made to undergo COVID-19 screening and the results of Kanniappan returned negative.
The police arrested him on Monday.
The department had deputed D. Divya, IPS on probation, to carry out further investigation into the case, the SSP said.
