A special court under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act on Tuesday sentenced a 68-year-old flour mill worker to prison for the remainder of his natural life for sexually assaulting a 10-year-old intellectually disabled child of the neighbourhood inside the flour mill where he worked.
Special POCSO Judge Priti Kumar (Ghule) also imposed a fine of Rs. 1 lakh on the man and recommended that compensation be paid to the victim.
As per the child’s mother’s complaint filed with the police the incident had taken place on Sep 9, 2018. The man, whom the child referred to as the ‘chakkiwale chacha’ had called her into the mill when she had gone near it. The child had not responded and he had taken her hand and dragged her in. A young boy who was a minor and worked at the flour mill was also present at the spot. Both had sexually assaulted the child one after the other. Prosecutor VD More said the man had handed her Rs. 5 and asked her not to reveal the incident to anyone. The trial against the child in conflict with law has been separated.
The matter had come to light when the child’s mother, a domestic help, had noticed blood on her clothes that day. She had enquired with her daughter, but the child had not revealed anything. While sleeping, she had complained again about pain in her private part, but still did not reveal her ordeal. The following day, the mother had gone to work and received a phone call from her sister to immediately return. The child had narrated the incident to her aunt, who informed her sister. When enquired, the child narrated in detail regarding the event and then a police complaint was lodged.
