POCSO court convicts 15 in TN child sexual assault case

A POCSO court in Tamil Nadu's Chennai has convicted 15 persons for allegedly sexually assaulted a class 7 student over seven months. The quantum of punishment would be announced on February 3.

Chennai:A special court in Tamil Nadu's Chennai on Saturday convicted 15 people in the Ayanavaram child sexual assault case.

Judge R N Manjula of the court for the trial of cases under POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act convicted 15 while acquitting one. Another died during the course of the trial.

The quantum of punishment would be announced on February 3.

The case relates to the sexual assault of a hearing-impaired minor girl by a group of 17 people, mostly plumbers, housekeepers, security guards and lift operators working in an apartment complex at Ayanavaram.

Police had charged the accused with sections 354-B (Assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe), 366 (kidnapping), 376-AB, 376-DB, 506 (i) and 506 (ii) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and sections 5 and 6 of the POCSO Act.

The girl was allegedly sexually assaulted several times by the accused of over seven months.

The matter came to light after the victim, a class 7 student, narrated her ordeal to her elder sister who then informed their parents following which the girl's father lodged a police complaint on July 15, 2018.

(A PTI report)