In yet another case of sexual assault on children in the Ernakulam Rural police district, a worker from Assam was arrested on Saturday on charge of assaulting the four-year-old daughter of his colleague at a plywood factory at Iringol near Perumbavoor.
The child, after school, used to go to the factory where her mother, who too hailed from Assam, was employed. She was reportedly taken to a restroom behind the factory and assaulted by the 21-year-old accused.
The incident came to light after her mother noticed a change in the child’s behaviour. She also complained of body ache on reaching home. The child was subsequently admitted to a hospital where the assault was confirmed. The youth was arrested under provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Addressing the media, District Police Chief (Ernakulam Rural) Vivek Kumar said the police had received a complaint regarding the incident on Friday afternoon. Five workers were detained, following which one of them was arrested. The child reportedly identified the accused from his photo.
The statements of the child and the doctor who conducted the medical examination were recorded. The child’s statement under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code will shortly be recorded with the help of a translator. CCTV footage showed the arrested person walking towards the restroom during the time the assault was said to have happened. He had joined the company two weeks ago.
Talking about measures taken by the police to prevent recurrence of such incidents, the third major case in Ernakulam Rural in the recent past, Mr. Vivek Kumar said the registration of 1.20 lakh migrant workers had been done. The police have written to Superintendents of Police of districts from which the workers hailed, to establish criminal background if any, based on which a police clearance certificate will be issued.
Awareness campaigns among migrant workers, especially women and children, are on as a preventive measure. Police patrol has been tightened to keep tabs on migrant workers, said the officer.
