The Puducherry police have booked six men for allegedly sexually assaulting two minor girls and have arrested three of the men. All six men have been booked under the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act, 2012.
The Puducherry police have arrested Pushparaj alias Raju (25), Mani alias Manimaran (27), and Vinoth (28). While Pushparaj hailed from Kurusukuppam, the other two accused hailed from Vaithikuppam, reports said. The accused have been booked under POCSO Sections 6 (punishment for aggravated penetrative sexual assault), 10 (punishment for aggravated sexual assault), and 12 (punishment for sexual harassment).
The survivors, aged 13 and 14, had dropped out of school. According to reports, two of the accused befriended the minors first. They allegedly sexually assaulted and abandoned them. Subsequently, the other four men had also allegedly sexually assaulted and abandoned the survivors.
The survivors reportedly went missing on April 2. After their parents filed missing complaints, the police located the minors, and a medical examination revealed that they had been sexually assaulted. They have been sent to an observation home where they are undergoing counselling.