The Mangalore police have arrested three men accused of waylaying and sexually harassing minor female students of a Madrasa in Karnataka’s Ullal near Mangalore on Monday. The accused, Kiran Kumar, 26, Gopal, 25, and Subhash, 29, have been held and charged under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) Act.
“The three girls were going to the madrasa situated at Malara, Pavoor village on Monday, February 10. Meanwhile, three people who were sitting near Malar bridge asked the girls the way to Ugganabail. When the girls were showing the way, one of them held the hand of one of the girls tightly. The girl bit the hand of the man, fled to the madrasa and informed the teacher there. Later, other two men tried to molest two other girls, threatened to kill them and fled,” states the police complaint.
The Madrasa administration informed the police and after investigation, the accused were tracked down and arrested. Police have slapped cases of kidnap, attempt to rape, attempted murder and POCSO cases against the accused.
VHP Comes To Their Defence
Meanwhile, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has claimed innocent people have been framed in the case, and have asked the City Police Commissioner to take action against the police who have arrested the accused. Coming to their defence, VHP claimed that the arrested people are not connected with the incident and that they were somewhere else at the time of the incident.
Mangalore MLA and former Minister for Health and Family Welfare, U T Khader has asked the District administration and police department to take the issue seriously and take stringent action against the culprits. He also appreciated the courage shown by the girl who bit the hand of a man and fled to her madrasa to inform the teacher.
