Tamil Nadu’s Mayiladuthurai district collector AP Mahabharathi drew widespread flak for blaming a three-year-old sexual assault survivor of provoking the accused.
Mahabharathi, while speaking at a Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act awareness meeting on Friday, February 28, said, “According to the report I got, the child spat on his [minor accused] face. That can be the reason. So we are forced to see both sides”. He then went on to add, “Prevention is better than anything. We need to sensitise the parents of toddlers.”
The three-year-old girl was sexually assaulted outside an anganwadi in Mayiaduthurai’s Sirkazhi on February 24. The 17-year-old accused also attacked the child when she tried to resist the assault. The child sustained grievous injuries to her head and has been undergoing treatment at JIPMER, Puducherry.
Mahabharathi’s survivor blaming remarks drew criticism from several quarters. The Governor’s office, on Friday, ordered for Erode District Commissioner HS Srikanth to replace Mahabharathi as Mayiladuthurai collector.
Meanwhile, the CPI(M) announced a protest outside the Mayiladuthurai collectorate on Saturday, March 1.
BJP’s K Annamalai in a statement said, “The Mayiladuthurai Collector has completely irresponsibly stated that the child is also at fault. On behalf of @BJP4Tamilnadu , we express our strong condemnation to him. The District Collector's foolish speech is due to the fact that women and school children continue to be sexually assaulted across Tamil Nadu, and the Chief Minister and the other ministers continue to blame the victims and release their personal details.”
A case was booked against the accused under the POCSO Act and he was produced before the Juvenile Justice Board and later shifted to a minor observation home in Thanjavur.