The Coimbatore Court on Wednesday granted three-day police custody of the two accused arrested in connection with the brutal sexual assault and murder of a 10-year-old girl in Sulur.
The accused, identified as Karthi and Mohanraj, were produced before the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) court under heavy security layout. During the initial arrest operation, Karthi had suffered a leg fracture while allegedly attempting to evade the police, leading to him being brought to the court premises on a stretcher today.
The investigating police personnel had moved a petition seeking a five-day custody period to subject both the accused to rigorous interrogation regarding the execution of the crime. After hearing the arguments, POCSO Court Judge Bhagavathi Ammal permitted the police to take both the accused into their custody for three days for further investigation.
Following the issuance of the court order, the police team escorted both Karthi and Mohanraj from the court complex under tight security to initiate further questioning.
Earlier, IGP Bharati said in a press conference that the case is being altered to include the provisions of the POCSO Act, 2012, due to the assault of a minor.
She elaborated on the case, saying that through an intensive search and thorough investigation by five special teams, the police caught the main accused, identified as Karthi, who was a neighbour and acquaintance of the victim’s family, who had taken the missing child along with him.
During interrogation, the accused revealed the involvement of another individual, identified as Mohan, who was also arrested, the Inspector General said.
“Subsequently, five special teams were formed immediately under the supervision of the DSP, and intensive search operations were undertaken to trace the missing child. Investigation, including CCTV footage analysis, confirmed that one Karthi, who was a neighbour and acquaintance of the victim’s family, had taken the missing child along with him. He was arrested, and during the course of interrogation, the accused confessed that he had lured, sexually assaulted and murdered the child. Further investigation also revealed the involvement of another accused, namely Mohan, who has allegedly assisted the main accused,” she said.
“As the case pertains to the assault of a minor child, the case is being altered to include the provisions of the POCSO Act. The two accused persons were arrested within 24 hours,” she added.
The development comes after a 10-year-old schoolgirl was found dead near a pond in the Sulur area of Coimbatore district on May 23, following which police arrested two persons in connection with the case, officials said.
According to police, the girl had gone missing while playing in front of her house. Her parents and relatives later found her body near the pond, triggering tension in the area. Family members suspected sexual assault and demanded strict action against those responsible.
Sulur police then registered a case and sent the body to the Government Hospital for post-mortem examination. Police suspected that the child may have been strangled to death. Soon after, police arrested two suspects identified as Karthick, a daily wage worker from Nagapattinam, and Mohanraj.
Both accused were produced before Sulur Judge Arunkumar, who remanded them to judicial custody till May 27.
The body of the girl was taken to ESI Hospital in Varadharajapuram for post-mortem examination, while a heavy police deployment was made outside the hospital.
Alongside, parents and relatives staged a protest on a National Highway near the Sulur Police Station, demanding justice for the victim, leading to traffic congestion before police intervened and held talks with the protesters. (ANI)
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