Youth arrested for rape attempt in Salem

Salem: Even as the Central government promulgated an ordinance on Sunday to strengthen the ‘Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act’ provisions to make it more deterrent for rapists, a youth near Athur in Salem district was arrested for “attempting to rape” a 16-year-old minor schoolgirl around midnight last night. 

Police said on Monday that 24-year-old M. Rajkumar, a daily wage worker, had allegedly attempt to sexually assault the girl under influence of liquor when she had been sleeping outside her home at Pulikuruchi village near Athur. 

Preliminary investigations revealed that due to the very sultry weather, the tenth class girl had chosen to sleep outside her house, when the youth had tried to misbehave with her. But the girl suddenly woke up and seeing a youth lying near her screamed, police said. 

Hearing her cries, neighbours rushed to the place, caught hold of the youth after giving a case, gave him a good thrashing and handed over the accused to the Veeraganur police station. 

The Athur All Women Police registered a case on Monday and arrested Rajkumar under the POCSO Act, sources added.