A 65-year-old man was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting five minor girls by luring them to watch television at his home in Chhattisgarh's Balod district, police said on Monday. The accused allegedly committed the offence for three days - from July 28 to July 30 - at a village under Arjunda police station limits and the victims' parents reported it to police on Saturday following which he was arrested, Balod Superintendent of Police Jitendra Meena said.

As per preliminary investigation, the accused used to call the girls, aged between 8 and 11 years, from neighbourhood to his home to watch television after finding them playing on streets, he said. He would then make the minors sit in front of the television and call them one by one inside a room where he sexually assaulted them, the official said. The offence came to light when the mother of one of the girls found her upset and disinterested in playing with the other children.

When the mother asked, the girl narrated the entire incident to her, he said. Four other girls also revealed the same ordeal to their parents who then approached police, the official said. The accused was arrested on Saturday was booked under Indian Penal Code Sections 354(a) (sexual harassment), 363 (kidnapping), 376 (rape) and 376 (2)(n) (rigorous imprisonment for a term not less than 10 years but may extend to imprisonment for life), and provisions of the Protection of Children for Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, he said.

"Preliminary medical examination of the girls did not reveal injuries on their private parts. However, we have sent some samples for forensic examination and their reports are awaited," he said. Further investigation was underway in the case, he added.