Maternal uncle held for sexually harassing minor in Ludhiana

The maternal uncle of a 16-year-old girl was arrested for allegedly sexually harassing her, officials said on Friday.

Class 8 student shared ordeal with teacher, who alerted the police

The maternal uncle of a 16-year-old girl was arrested for allegedly sexually harassing her, officials said on Friday. (HT File)

Ludhiana The maternal uncle of a 16-year-old girl was arrested for allegedly sexually harassing her, officials said on Friday.

The Class 8 student shared her ordeal with her class teacher, who alerted the police. After receiving the complaint, the Sadar police registered a first-information report (FIR) against the 58-year-old accused and arrested him.

According to the minor, she lives with her maternal uncle in Bachittar Nagar.

Assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Partap Singh, who is investigating the case, said that they received a call from a teacher at a public school on Gill Road, who informed them that a 16-year-old girl from her class was sexually harassed by her maternal uncle. On being informed, they reached the school to record her statement, he said.

The police registered an FIR following a statement by the teacher. The teacher said that a student of Class 8 approached her during school hours and said she was living with her maternal uncle, who had been sexually harassing her.

The girl alleged that when she was sleeping on August 1, her uncle laid down on the bed with her and started touching her inappropriately. When she objected, her uncle threatened her to stay silent about the incident and asked her to make a cup of tea for him.

The girl added that she was looking for someone who could help her and narrated the ordeal to her class teacher.

The ASI added that soon after recording the statement of the teacher, the police registered a case against the accused under Section 74 (assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 8 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The police arrested the accused soon after registering the FIR, he added.

The ASI said that the police are gathering details about the minor’s parents.