A man in his mid-forties was arrested on the charge of sexually assaulting his minor daughter for over two years and leaving her four months pregnant here in Hosur. The accused Rajesh Sharma, originally from Bopatvur village of Kaimur district in Bihar, was employed as a labourer in an industrial unit in Thally.
According to the testimony obtained by the District Child Welfare Committee, Rajesh Sharma, a father of six children, two of them girls, had been sexually assaulting his elder daughter for two years. However, a fortnight ago, his younger daughter witnessed the sexual abuse of her sister by her father. But, the accused had threatened the girls to keep quiet about the abuse.
On June 19, his 17-year old elder daughter and 13-year-old younger daughter had gone missing from home. Following this, the mother of the girls had lodged a complaint with the police here. “The girls, on leaving home, had reportedly taken shelter with a family in Athibelli. While the younger daughter returned home a day later, the elder daughter was taken to the police by the family that got to know of her sexual abuse at the hands of her father,” L. Vincent Sundararaj, Chairperson of the District Child Welfare Committee, told The Hindu .
While the accused has been arrested, the mother of the girls is in denial.
According to Mr. Vincent Sundararaj, she had refused to complain against her husband stating that he was incapable of such a ghastly act. She had also claimed ignorance of her daughter's pregnancy. Following this, the Child Welfare Committee became the suomotu complainant in the case.
The elder daughter, who is now four months pregnant, was admitted at Hosur Government Hospital, and was kept company by her younger sister.
The Child Welfare Committee would take custody of the girls, who are likely to be admitted to the government shelter at the government reception unit in Dharmapuri. “Our concern now is to ensure the girls continue their education, and get care and protection,” Mr. Sudararaj said.
