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COIMBATORE: Three boys studying in Class IX and X in a government higher secondary school near Pollachi in Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore district were arrested on Monday for sexually assaulting five girls studying in Class I to IV in a panchayat union middle school .

A few days ago, a primary health centre doctor conducted a medical camp for students of the panchayat union middle school and found all the five girls having urinary tract infections. When questioned, the girls revealed what they were being subjected to. The parents of the girls refused to file complaints. The doctor informed Child Line 1098, and its staff lodged a complaint against the three boys. They were arrested by the Pollachi all women police and lodged in the juvenile home in Coimbatore.

Police sources said a seven-year-old Class I student of the panchayat school urinated in the classroom last month. Her teacher asked her not to urinate inside the classroom and made her stand outside. The girl again urinated and told the teacher that she was not able to control it. The class teacher informed the child’s parents, but they did not take her to a doctor.

Meanwhile, Dr Preethi from the Kanjampatti primary health centre conducted a medical camp in the school and found the girl having urinary tract infection. When asked, the girl told her that she was molested by three boys and that four other girls were also sexually assaulted by the minor boys.

Dr Preethi informed the children’s parents about this, but they said the boys were their relatives and they did not want to make it an issue.

Along with Child Line, Shanthamani, district child protection officer, too was informed. Preliminary investigation revealed that the five girls were taken to PAP Canal at Vaikkalmedu near Pollachi and another place by the boys and sexually assaulted several times in March.

Based on Shanthamani’s complaint, police registered a case against the boys under Sections 7 (I) and 8 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act on Monday evening and arrested them. One of the boys had just appeared for the SSLC examination. Another boy, aged about 14, was studying in Class IX and was doing a part-time job during the holidays. The third boy, aged about 15, worked in a coir mill.

The sources added that the parents were not willing to send their daughters for medical check-up. “We are advising them to co-operate with the police for further investigation,” said a police official.

