Seven arrested following sexual assault of class 8 girl at unauthorized NCC camp in Tamil Nadu
Krishnagiri: A Class 8 girl was allegedly sexually assaulted by A. Sivaraman, a member of the NTK party, during an unauthorized National Cadet Corps (NCC) camp held at a private school near Bargur.
Following the allegations, seven individuals, including the school correspondent and principal, were arrested on Sunday for failing to report the crime and for conducting the camp without proper permission.
Sivaraman, aged 28 and hailing from Kaveripattinam, has been booked under multiple sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and is currently on the run. The 13-year-old victim, who was staying with relatives in Bargur, attended the NCC camp from August 5 to 9, where Sivaraman served as one of the coordinators. It has been reported that he asked the girl to meet him at a specific location on August 9, where the assault took place.
After the incident, the victim confided in another student, leading to a discussion among peers who then alerted the school principal, A. Sathish Kumar, 39. However, he allegedly dismissed the matter, telling the students not to take it seriously.
Further investigations revealed that Sivaraman had also allegedly harassed at least 12 other girls during the camp. The parents of the victims filed a police complaint on Friday night, prompting inquiries from the school education department and the district child protection unit.
Principal Sathish Kumar was arrested for attempting to conceal the crime, and additional arrests included I. Samson Wesley (52), the school correspondent, teacher A. Jenifer (35), retired CRPF personnel V. Subramani (54), and others involved in the camp's organisation. Both Sivaraman and another suspect, Sudhakar, remain at large.
Superintendent of Police P. Thangadurai stated that four special teams have been formed to arrest the fugitives. The NCC camp was conducted without departmental approval, and inquiries are underway to determine if similar camps were held elsewhere by the arrested individuals.
District Child Protection Officer D. Saravanan reported that they are currently gathering statements from the students, and a sensitization program on the POCSO Act will be conducted in private schools across Krishnagiri district. Collector K.M. Sarayu emphasized the need for counseling for affected children and noted that standard operating procedures were not followed during the camp.
As the news of the incident spread, a significant police presence was deployed near the private school. The District Education Officer, R.V. Ramavathy, indicated that a report will be submitted to the school education department regarding the situation. Parents are urged to report any child-related issues by contacting child helpline 1098 or the police control room at 100.
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4 workers die after being buried under coal slurry in Jharkhand's Dhanbad
Dhanbad (Jharkhand) (PTI): At least four workers died after being buried under coal slurry in Jharkhand's Dhanbad district on Saturday, a police official said.
The incident took place at Moonidih coal washery in the command area of Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL).
"Bodies of all four workers were dug out of debris during a rescue operation," Putki police station in-charge Waqar Hussain told PTI.
The incident took place when coal slurry was being loaded into trucks by workers, during which a large chunk of slurry fell and trapped several workers underneath, officials said.
The deceased have been identified as Manik Bauri, Dinesh Bauri, Deepak Bauri, and Hemlal Gope.
Meanwhile, the family members of the deceased and local villagers placed the bodies in front of the washery gate and began a protest.
They demanded compensation, jobs for dependents and action against those responsible for the incident.
Police and administration officials are trying to pacify the protesters, an official said.
