POCSO case: Mother, grandfather of survivor arrested in Tiruchi

The Srirangam All Women Police Station (AWPS) on Sunday arrested the mother and grandfather of a 15-year-old girl in connection with a Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act case involving repeated sexual assault of the minor girl since 2021.

The arrested persons were identified as the victim’s 35-year-old mother and her 63-year-old grandfather. The action follows preliminary investigations into a First Information Report (FIR) registered on January 7, based on a complaint lodged by the District Child Protection Officer (DCPO), Tiruchi.

The FIR names 15 individuals, nearly half of whom are close relatives of the survivor. The police have invoked Section 450 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 87 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), alongside multiple provisions of the POCSO Act, 2012.

Police sources said the girl had reportedly informed her mother and grandfather about the sexual assaults on multiple occasions. However, the two allegedly ignored her complaints and did not report the matter to the authorities, leading to their arrest for their role in the crime.

A senior police official confirmed that all individuals named in the FIR are under the scanner. “We are inquiring into the involvement of every person mentioned in the complaint. Further arrests are likely as the probe progresses,” the official said.