'Pocso Act amendment for boys victim before Cabinet soon'
New Delhi, July 22 : In an attempt to make gender neutral laws, the Women and Child Development Ministry has brought in amendments in the existing Pocso law to cover sexual abuse of the boy child and these will be sent for Cabinet approval very soon, a ministry official said.
"Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act has always striven to develop gender-neutral laws. While the Cabinet has already given its nod proposing death sentence for convicts raping girls below 12, the same has been proposed for boy victims," the official said.
The Law Ministry has cleared the amendments to enhance punishment in cases of sexual assault against young boys and it will be sent to the Cabinet in next 2-3 days, the official added.
Woman and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi has been pushing for bringing in the amendment and had earlier also written to the states batting for equal rights to male child victims of sexual abuse.
Gandhi earlier had also supported a petition on Change.org by film-maker-activist Insia Dariwala, who said, "male child sexual abuse is an ignored reality in India".
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Six killed, 5 injured as passenger vehicle hits truck in Odisha
Sundargarh (Odisha) (PTI): Six people were killed and five others injured after a vehicle in which they were travelling rammed into a truck in Odisha's Sundargarh district early on Saturday, police said.
The accident occurred near Gaikanapali area under the Hemgiri Police Station limits when the passenger-carrying van hit the truck from behind, a senior officer said.
"Six members of a 'kirtan' group died on the spot, and five others were injured. Maybe, the accident occurred due to fog in the area," he said.
The 'kirtan' party went to Chakkplai village for a programme on the occasion of Diwali, and the accident took place when they were returning to their villages.
The deceased people belonged to Kandagoda and Samarpinda villages in the district.
The injured persons were admitted to a local hospital, the officer said.
Local people blocked the road, demanding ex gratia for the victims' families.
