Bus cleaner in Barwani jailed for 3 months for winking at minor

A Madhya Pradesh court has sentenced a bus cleaner to three months’ rigorous imprisonment under an anti-child abuse law for winking at a 17-year-old girl.

A Madhya Pradesh court has sentenced a bus cleaner to three months’ rigorous imprisonment under an anti-child abuse law for winking at a 17-year-old girl.

Barwani additional sessions judge AK Singh on Wednesday also asked Tikaram, who works for a private transport company, to pay a fine of Rs 500 under the protection of children from sexual offences (Pocso) act.

The girl, a first year BA student, had on January 31 gone to Barwani bus stand to collect a parcel sent on a bus when Tikaram winked at her, the prosecution said.

When the girl objected, Tikaram laughed her off. She immediately went to police but Tikaram ran away. He was arrested later.

The girl told HT she was happy with the judgment. Girls should not suffer silently and should report such matters to police, she said.

Tikaram will serve time for 50 days as he had spent 40 days in custody before he got bail.

It is a rare judgment. Enacted in 2012, Pocso aims to protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation. Special courts are set up to try such cases.