TN: Rape survivor’s parents allege assault by police at Chennai station

The parents of a 10-year-old rape survivor were allegedly beaten up by a police inspector at the all-women police station in Chennai’s Anna Nagar and detained at the station till the wee hours of August 31.

In a video, purportedly recorded by an NGO worker, the father of the girl has said that police officers at the station roughed him up and questioned the “character” of his wife in front of their daughter and the accused.

The accused is yet to be arrested.

The allegations made by the parents have been denied by the police.

The survivor’s father is a construction worker and the mother works as a cook.

Girl names neighbour as perpetrator

According to reports, the alleged rape came to the notice of the girl’s mother on August 29, when she, after returning home from work found her child writhing in pain. A foul odour was also coming from the girl’s body, the mother has said in the FIR.

On taking her daughter, a Class VI student in a government school, to a private clinic, the mother learnt that the girl had been raped. The clinic referred the girl to the Kikpauk Medical College and Hospital (KMCH) where doctors confirmed that she has been repeatedly assaulted sexually.

The minor named Satish, a water delivery person as the perpetrator. She said Satish, 31, raped her over a period of seven days and threatened her of dire consequences if she spoke about it to anyone. The accused is also a neighbour of the girl.

‘Inquiry’ by police

According to a report in The Times of India, after confirming that it was a case of sexual assault, doctors at KMCH reported the case to the Anna Nagar all-women police station following which a team arrived at the hospital.

The report says, an inspector named Raji asked the girl’s mother to bring her Aadhaar card and other documents to the police station and began an ‘inquiry’ with the survivor.

TOI said, a video clip of the incident shows Raji asking the girl why she took Satish’s name and the girl says she did it by mistake. The police reportedly also questioned the staff at the hospital.

Police questioned my wife’s character: Survivor’s father

The next day, police called the parents of the girl to the station and made them stay there till the early hours of August 31.

In the video shot by the NGO worker, the parents alleged that when they were at the station, they were verbally and physically abused by police personnel.

The girl’s father alleged that the officers questioned his wife’s behaviour and threatened to file a case against him. He said all this was done before their daughter and the accused. The girl’s mother also said that police officers assaulted her while pointing fingers at her character.

Accused not arrested

When asked about the allegations, inspector Raji told TOI that they should not ask the investigating officer about POCSO cases.

While the accused is yet to be arrested, police say there is no evidence against him to arrest him.

Meanwhile, police on September 1 arrested a 14-year-old in the case. He was presented before the Juvenile Justice Board.

Rubbishing allegations of procedural lapses and delay in filing of FIR as well as providing psychological counselling to the survivor, police said the girl is being provided psychological counselling and that the District Child Protection Unit and the Child Welfare Committee were immediately informed about the case on August 31.