The Kanchipuram police on Tuesday arrested two auto drivers for kidnapping and raping a 17-year-old girl. According to news reports, the incident took place on Monday.
On Monday evening, the minor took an autorickshaw from an auto stand to visit a temple near her house. On reaching the temple, she found it was closed and hence asked the auto driver to drop her back home. However, the police said, the auto driver told the girl that there was another big temple on the banks of a river and that he could take her there instead. On their way to the temple, the auto driver allegedly called two other men over the phone, who also boarded the auto later.
When they reached the spot, the girl demanded to know where they had brought her. The men beat her to remain silent, raped her and fled the scene. The girl came back home in a tattered state and was rushed to a government hospital.
After she informed her parents about the incident, they filed a police complaint. The police registered an FIR under Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and swung into action to question around 40 auto drivers from the stand where she had taken the auto.
They also took photographs of the auto drivers to let the girl identify the culprits. Based on her identification, the police arrested two auto drivers –Deva and Rajan — who later confessed to the crime. The hunt is on for the third accused in the case.
As per reports, only 3 percent of the cases registered under POCSO Act has been awarded the interim compensation under Rule 7. Between 2013 and 2018, around 3,100 cases were registered in the state under the Act, of which, the victims of only 95 cases were issued the interim compensation.
“The special court may, in appropriate cases, on its own or on an application filed by or on behalf of the child, pass an order of interim compensation to meet the immediate needs of the child for relief and rehabilitation at any stage after registration of the First Hand Report. Such interim compensation paid to the child shall be adjusted against the final compensation if any,” says Rule 7 of the POCSO Act. This amount might come in handy to deal with the medical expenses incurred for the victim.
Source: The News Minute