3 cops dismissed for raping minor girl in 2023

Trichy: A police sub-inspector and two constables have been dismissed from service for sexually assaulting a minor girl in Trichy in 2023. The action has been taken after the allegations, such as sexual assault, pornography, and criminal intimidation of the survivor, were proven in a department inquiry.The dismissed cops were B Sasikumar (sub-inspector, Jeeyapuram station) and constables J Prasad (Navalpat station) and A Sitharthan (Jeeyapuram traffic police station), according to an order issued by Trichy range DIG V Varun Kumar. Action is pending against constable S Sankar Rajapandian, who has also been accused of smuggling ganja near Adirampattinam in Thanjavur district.On the evening of Oct 4, 2023, the four of them, dressed in plain clothes and in an inebriated condition, visited Mukkombu park. They saw some couples and began harassing them. Among them was a 17-year-old girl and her 19-year-old male friend. Constables Prasath and Siddharth beat the male youth and drove him away. The group then took the girl to their vehicle, where sub-inspector Sasikumar and Sankar Rajapandiyan sexually assaulted her for an hour. They also recorded their acts on their mobile.Around 6pm, the group let the survivor leave after threatening her with dire consequences. She went to the outpost police station and reported the incident. Police stopped a car in which Sasikumar and others attempted to leave, and questioned them. Sasikumar told the cops on duty that he and others had only inquired about the girl on suspicion. The outpost personnel informed Varun Kumar, who was earlier Trichy's superintendent of police. Varun Kumar conducted an initial inquiry and suspended the four policemen.A case was registered at Jeeyapuram All Women Police Station and the policemen were booked under IPC sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 341 (wrongful restraint), 342 (wrongful confinement), 506-i (criminal intimidation), and 67(B)(b) of the IT Act (recording child pornography). The accused were also booked under several sections of Pocso Act including 9(a) (i) (iii) (iv) (aggravated penetrative sexual assault), 9 (g) (gang sexual assault),10 (aggravated penetrative sexual assault), 17 (abetment), 13 (c) (obscene representation) and 14(5) (participation in child pornographic act). The four policemen were arrested and remanded in judicial custody. In the press statement, DIG V Varun Kumar confirmed that the allegations had been proved against Sasikumar, Prasath, and Siddharth. Hence, he dismissed them under TamilNaduPoliceSubordinate Service (DisciplineandAppeal)Rules,1955.

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