62-yr-old arrested for molesting two girls

Bengaluru: A 62-year-old man was arrested for molesting two minor girls under Girinagar police station limits on Monday. The accused, identified as Gangadharan, is a native of Doddegatta village of Chennagiri Taluk in Davangere and has been slapped with sections under POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act and IPC (Indian Penal Code) by the police. Gangadharan was working as a salesman at a textile shop located close to the girls’ houses in Girinagar.

The two six-year-old girls were neighbours and first standard students at the same school located nearby. They used to play near their houses near the textile shop every evening. The incident came to light on Sunday when one of the two girls told her parents that “the uncle who worked in the textile shop was bad.” The girls who had gone to play returned home confused and disturbed.

Growing suspicious after listening to the child’s complaints, the parents went to the textile shop and enquired about the elderly man who worked there, but in vain. The parents also noticed that there were CCTV cameras installed, but could not get a technician to see the footage.

The shocked parents then sat together and corroborated the events from the two girls as to what all did the elderly man do to both of them. To their shock, they learnt that Gangadharan used to show the two girls, a doll and then undress it, and then he would ask the girls to do the same. The girls also told their parents that the old man would show his private parts to them and would see theirs’ in exchange. However, when asked whether they were subjected to any sort of sexual assault, both denied any such incident, said a senior police officer. Gangadharan had frightened the two girls to silence.

The shocked parents, who were initially reluctant to approach the police, contacted one of their relatives who worked in the police department. They were asked to immediately to register a complaint.

On Monday morning, the parents went to the textile shop with a technician and watched the CCTV footage which clearly showed Gangadharan undressing a doll before the two minor girls. It was then the parents went to Girinagar police station and lodged a complaint against him and subsequently, the Child Welfare Committee members were also informed about the incident, said the police.

“We have subjected both the victims and the accused for medical examinations on Tuesday and the accused have been arrested and booked under sections 8 and 12 of POCSO and 354A of IPC,” a senior police officer told Deccan Chronicle.