In a disturbing development, a 10-year-old girl who went missing earlier this week was found to have been abducted and sexually assaulted in Trichy district. Srirangam Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Nivetha Lakshmi told TNM that the police tracked down the accused, identified as Chinnarasu, while he was attempting to evade arrest.

According to the police, the child was reported missing on August 17 and a search was underway for her. It is speculated that Chinnarasu, after abducting and assaulting the child, abandoned her somewhere near her house the following morning. The police said the neighbours spotted her alone, walking down the street towards her home. 

On seeing that the child had sustained wounds, her family rushed her to the nearby government hospital (GH), who alerted the police when they realised she had been sexually assaulted, the ACP said. 

Upon further investigation, it was discovered that Chinnarasu had lured the child away and assaulted her under Palladam bridge on the day she went missing. 

Chinnarasu was injured while trying to flee from the police and has a broken right leg, the ACP confirmed, adding that he is currently receiving medical treatment. 

The Srirangam All Women’s Police Station (AWPS) has registered a case under sections 5(j) and 5 (l) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), read with section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, and sections 9 and 10 of the Child Marriage Act.