Virudhunagar (Tamil Nadu): Police in Virudhunagar have arrested four men including four teenagers and two DMK functionaries, in a case related to sexual exploitation, assault and blackmail of a 22-year-old Dalit woman from the district. Based on the woman's complaint, the arrests were made on March 21.
According to police officials, Hariharan, 27, who hails from Mael street of Virudhunagar in Tamil Nadu, lured the Dalit girl from Pandian street in the name of love, promised to marry her and sexually assaulted her. He then captured her naked in a video and shared it with his friends. His friends, including four teenagers, used the video to blackmail and sexually exploit her.
“Based on the complaint received from a woman on 20.03.2022, an FIR was registered u/s 376(2)(n), 354C 354D IPC r/w 66(E) of IT Act, 3(1)(w)(i), 3(2)(v) of SC/ST (POA) Act, 1989 in Virudhunagar Rural Police station in VRD District on the same day. During the investigation, 4 accused were arrested and 4 children in conflict with the law were apprehended on 21.03.2022. Further investigation is underway," a police official said.
As the eight threatened to share her naked video on social media and continued to sexually assault her. She ended up confiding in an acquaintance of hers, 37-year-old Madasamy. He too exploited her situation and trust and used the same blackmail mechanism to sexually assault her. Having endured the torture for several months, the woman finally reached out to cops on March 20, 2022.
Based on a complaint from the victim, the police have registered a case against all eight people on charges of rape under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. A case has also been registered in acts pertaining to rape, voyeurism, stalking and violation of privacy. Taking to Twitter to condemn the act which is eerily similar to the Pollachi assault case, DMK MP Kanimozhi said, "Strict action must be taken irrespective of who has committed the heinous crime.” Meanwhile, Junaith Ahmed, who was a DMK functionary, has been removed from the party.
