Dharmapuri: Shortly after the investigation officer in the Advasi student rape and death case of Dharmapuri was replaced today, another accused, Ramesh, has surrendered to the police. Post-mortem on the girl’s body also reportedly took place today in the presence of a team of doctors.
Around a week ago, a class 12 girl returned home from boarding school for Deepavali holidays. On 5 November, she went to the woods near her home to answer nature’s call. Two men, Satish (22) and Ramesh (22) allegedly gagged and sexually assaulted her. When they duo heard relatives coming to the girl’s rescue, they fled the spot. The girl died at the Dharmapuri General Hospital Saturday after being admitted for dizziness and nausea.
At that time, victim’s family and relatives alleged that the hospital failed to provide the girl proper treatment and that local police demanded bribes to fill fuel for the police vehicle, reportedly stating that the tribal hamlet was too far. Political leaders in Tamilnadu, including DMK president M K Stalin and Tamil Maanila Congress chief G K Vasan, raised their voice in support of the victim and her family and demanded strict action against the culprits.
On Sunday, District Collector S Malarvizhi visited the protesters and assured them that both men would be arrested within 48 hours. Later that day, police arrested Satish from a relative’s house in Yercaud where he had fled to. The case was investigated by Kottapatti inspector Muthukrishnan. As many allegations rose against him, Harur all women police station inspector Lakshmi took over his job today following which Ramesh surrendered as well.
Police have filed an FIR and booked Ramesh and Satish under Sections 5g (whoever commits gang penetrative sexual assault on a child), 6 (Punishment for aggravated penetrative sexual assault) and 18 (Punishment for attempt to commit an offence) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO). However, the parents have demanded that the case be changed from ‘attempted rape’ to ‘rape’.