2 juveniles among 4 held for rape of minor girl

MADURAI: Four people, including two juveniles, have been arrested for allegedly raping a 15-year-old girl at Melur in Madurai district of Tamil Nadu on Tuesday night. The arrested were identified as R Bharathiraja (23), K Karthik (30) and two others. They were booked under Section 376 of the IPC and Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.
Police said the girl from Karuthapuliyanpatti village knew Bharathiraja, who resided in Azhagapuripatti village. They came in contact when he visited her village to meet a friend. On Tuesday, she went to Melur to meet Bharathiraja, where the four accused raped her, they said. The girl has been taken for a medical test, inspector R Santhi of Melur all-women police station said.
Contradicting the police version, the girl’s mother said on the day of the incident her daughter was at home. “She went outside to answer nature’s call when she was raped,” she said.
But villagers alleged that the girl was going for a biriyani party hosted by AIADMK cadres to mark party chief J Jayalalithaa’ birthday on February 24. While she was on her way, she was waylaid and raped, they alleged. Local AIADMK MLA R Samy, however, denied the involvement of members of his party in the crime.
“The girl lodged a complaint, based on which we arrested four persons,” Santhi said. Out of the four arrested, Bharathiraja and Karthik were lodged in Madurai central prison after being remanded in judicial custody and the two others were sent to an observation home in Madurai, she said.
“The incident is an example of lack of night patrol. Police personnel involved in nigh patrol focus on vehicle checks and drunken driving,” K Ponnuthayi the All India Democratic Women’ Association said.