E-Paper
Andhra man posing as grandfather takes teen girl along from hostel; arrested for sexual assault
The accused picked the 13-year-old minor – who is a student at a government school – from her hostel while impersonating as her grandfather.
A 62-year-old man has been arrested for sexually assaulting a minor girl in an orchard in Andhra Pradesh's Kakinada district. The man picked the 13-year-old girl, who is a student at a government school, from the hostel while impersonating as her grandfather, a police official told PTI.
The accused and the minor are residents of Tuni constituency of Kakinada district and belong to the same community. While PTI news agency reported that he was arrested for rape, other news reports stated he was held for an alleged attempt to sexually assault the teen.
Kakinada district superintendent of police (SP) Bindu Madhav Garikapati said the accused was caught around 11 am on Tuesday. “He lured the girl. The girl went with him with consent,” Garikapati said, while clarifying that a minor's consent is not considered valid consent.
“It is technically a kidnap and serious sexual assault under the sections of POCSO,” SP Garikapati told PTI.
Meanwhile, the owner of the orchard allegedly shot a video of the incident, PTI reported. However, the owner did not lodge a complaint regarding the crime, thus prompting the police to take action.
The police recorded the statement of the minor girl, following which they registered a first information report (FIR) under relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO), and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
SP Garikapati also told PTI that the accused had also taken the minor girl out last month. The police are also mulling over whether to book the owner of the orchard for recording and sharing the video. Another clip of the man getting beaten up by the family members of the minor girl has surfaced.
Andhra Pradesh minister Nara Lokesh expressed shock at the incident. In a post on X, the TDP leader said, “Immediately upon learning the details of the incident, the police registered a POCSO case against him and arrested him. Whoever is involved in such incidents will be dealt with sternly.”
The minister said that the girl would be provided counselling, and be extended support and assistance. “Orders have been issued to the administrative machinery to provide foolproof security to the students studying in Gurukul Schools and welfare hostels,” he added.
