A 35-year-old policeman was arrested by the Ashok Nagar police in Chennai on Thursday, May 28, for attempting to sexually assault a 15-year-old boy. The head constable of Vadapalani police, identified as P Velappan, has been booked under charges of POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act).
According to reports, the head constable went to his friend’s house on Wednesday night and both of them got drunk. While his friend went to sleep, Velappan under the influence of alcohol went to the room of the victim who was watching television and allegedly forced him to consume alcohol and sexually assault him. The boy however overpowered him, cried for help and hit him with a tv remote before locking him inside the room, reports said.
According to Times of India, the victim had come to his uncle’s home along with his parents for summer vacation. Subsequently, after the boy informed the police about the incident, Velappan was arrested by the Ashok Nagar police. He was produced before the Magistrate and remanded in judicial custody.
The Hindu reported that steps are being taken to remove the accused from police service.
Reacting to the incident, DMK youth wing leader Udhayanidhi Stalin said that the “law and order situation in Tamil Nadu has deteriorated to the point where that boy had to run to the Police Station to seek protection from the Police themselves.” He also pointed out other crimes like the 61-year-old in Velachery who was subjected to sexual harassment and the physical assault against a policeman allegedly by the ruling party members.
“In this Sofa Model regime, there is no safety even from the police. There is no safety even for the police.The Chief Minister should stop the work of poaching MLAs to save his government and instead make efforts to make the Police Department under his control function effectively and positively,” Udhayanidhi said.
Meanwhile, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami expressed shock over the incident and said that Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay should focus on maintaining the law and order situation and less on personal appearance and publicity. “The same children you used for campaigning for votes are now without safety in your government. What is your answer for this?” he asked.
AMMK founder T.T.V. Dhinakaran too condemned the incident and urged the TVK-led government to focus on the law and order situation in the State. “If those who are duty-bound to prevent offences are involved in it, how will the rule of law prevail in Tamil Nadu?” he asked.
