A 13-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted by a Naam Tamizhar Katchi (NTK) functionary, during a fake National Cadet Corps (NCC) camp at a private school near Bargur in Krishnagiri district. Eleven people, including the school principal and teachers, were arrested, but the main accused is absconding.
The three-day camp, from August 5 to 9, was held at a private school with no official connection to the NCC. They hosted 41 students, including 17 girls, for the fake NCC camp.
The case came to light after the victim complained to the police about being assaulted by a camp trainer despite several threats from school authorities. Police then arrested eleven people, including the camp organiser, school principal, two teachers, and a correspondent. The main accused, a 30-year-old man named Sivaraman, remains absconding.
Fake Camp Trainer Molests Student
During the camp, girls stayed on the first floor of the school auditorium, while boys were housed on the ground floor. No teachers were assigned to supervise them.
On the night of August 8, Sivaraman, who was a trainer at the fake camp, allegedly coerced a 13-year-old girl to come out of her accommodation and assaulted her. He was the district youth wing secretary of the NTK political party, which expelled him in the wake of this incident.
Investigations revealed that Sivaraman was also accused of sexually harassing 13 other girls during the camp.
#TamilNadu Sexual Assault Case: 11 Arrested
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After a week of the alleged crimes, one of the girls reported the assault by calling the police control room, leading to an investigation. Medical examinations of the girls have been conducted, and the District Child Welfare Committee has initiated action.
It was revealed that the school management, including the principal and two teachers, were aware of the sexual offences but chose to suppress the information rather than report it to the authorities. The students were allegedly instructed not to take the incidents seriously.
Sivaraman Booked Under POCSO Act
In the aftermath, the Bargur All-Women’s Police booked Sivaraman under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, and authorities are currently searching for him. The school’s correspondent, principal, and several others, including members of the fake NCC group, have been arrested.
The investigation also uncovered that the school needed to conduct proper background checks on the individuals organising the camp. The Tamil Nadu government and child rights activists have called for stringent action against the school management for failing to protect the students and not reporting the crime promptly.
The Krishnagiri Superintendent of Police, P. Thangadurai, confirmed that the police are investigating whether the group behind the fake NCC camp has conducted similar operations at other schools. The District Child Welfare Committee has initiated further actions, including performing medical examinations of the affected girls and seeking accountability from the school authorities.
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