Salem Rural arrested three students studying Class XI under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act for sexually assaulting a Class VII student of the same school near Attur on Thursday, February 13.
According to police, the incident took place on January 22 in the government school premises after school hours, when the suspects assaulted a 12-year-old female student, stated a report by The New Indian Express.
The incident came to light, a relative of the victim contacted the child helpline number 1098 and made the complaint on February 10.
Following that officials led by the District Child Protection Committee (DCPC) Srimurali held an investigation after visiting the school. The investigation revealed the victim, who is from a Dalit community, was sexually assaulted by a Class XI student, and two other students helped with the assault.
On the same evening, the girl allegedly shared the incident with the parents.
Following this, the parents took the issue to the knowledge of the headmaster of the school. However, it is alleged that the headmaster of the school did not inform the police or the DCPC.
It is also alleged that as the suspects were from the upper caste communities, an attempt was made to subside the matter from the light.
Meanwhile, the victim's relative reported the incident to the child helpline number. After an investigation, a complaint was filed with the All Women Police Station on Wednesday.
The police arrested the suspects under the POCSO Act and sent them to a juvenile home on Thursday.
"After the incident was reported to the child helpline, we conducted an investigation from the next working day in the school and reported it to the police. We are investigating whether the incident was taken to the knowledge of the teachers immediately by the victim's side," said Srimurali, District Child Protection Officer, Salem, according to a report by The New Indian Express.
Despite repeated attempts to contact M Kabeer, Chief Educational Officer, Salem, it went to vain.
