Four people have been arrested in Tiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu for allegedly sexually assaulting, videographing and blackmailing a 17-year-old girl. The incident lead to public outrage after the minor girl attempted self-immolation.
The incident happened when the girl from the Moovur village went to herd her cows in the fields last week. At the time, while the girl was talking to a male friend, five youths who were present nearby, reportedly sexually assaulted her and videotaped it.
According to the minor girl’s statement, the gang then allegedly sought sexual favour from her and threatened that they would disseminate the video if she didn’t comply with their demands.
The young girl was shocked and hid inside her home. She later attempted self-immolation and is currently undergoing treatment at a government hospital in Chennai after suffering more than 50 per cent burns.
Subsequently, a case was registered under the POCSO Act against five youths in connection with the matter. According to reports, the girl told the magistrate that last week, as she and a male friend were conversing near a field, the four suspects, who are in their mid-twenties, sexually assaulted her, videographed it and threatened to disseminate it later.
Unable to tolerate the harassment, the teenager attempted self-immolation while alone at home.
Prior to being transferred to the Chennai hospital, the girl’s relatives had initially rushed her to a neighbouring government hospital. The offenders have been taken into custody by the police after being charged under multiple sections of the POCSO Act.
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