Parents aware, file more Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act cases
Bengaluru: There has been a spurt in the number of cases registered under POCSO Act since the July 12 incident, where a six-year-old girl was raped by a skating instructor at Vibgyor High in Marathahalli.
With parents more aware of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, they are now reporting cases that would have missed the police eye earlier. On Monday, a sensitisation seminar on POCSO Act was held for 108 police inspectors across all law and order police stations in the city.
When media representatives went near Vibgyor School on Monday to report reopening of the school nearly 25 days after the incident, some parents objected to photographing children, saying under POCSO Act even clicking photos of children is an offence. “The people are more aware, and more cases under the Act are being reported.
But there are also a number of cases that are false,” said Mr H. Revanna, DCP (South Division). Seven cases have been registered under POCSO Act in Hanumantha Nagar, Girinagar, and K.G. Nagar police stations under the South division.
The latest case is that of a 34-year-old teacher, who allegedly misbehaved with a student at Jnanabharathi Education Trust under Subramanyapura police limits. The teacher, identified as Bala Naik, was arrested from his house in Chunchghatta main road near Konakunte Cross on Saturday. He was teaching social studies at the school.
The police said that a girl student filed a complaint against Naik, alleging that he stood very close to the students while teaching. After the girl informed her parents about the misconduct of the teacher, the parents approached the Subramanyapura police station and lodged a complaint.
Other cases booked
- A 15-year-old girl was raped at a Hennur Nunnery that was reported in Varthur police station
- A three-year-old girl was sexually assaulted by a minor under Thalaghattapura poice station limits.
- A seven-year-old girl was dragged by hand by a drunk man. The public handed him over to the police
Workshop held to sensitise cops on act
To sensitise the police force on child rights, a one-day workshop-cum-training programme was organised to create awareness on the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act 2012 at the police commissioner’s office on Infantry Road on Monday. New City Police Commissioner M.N. Reddi had called all the 108 police inspectors (law and order) for the workshop. The programme was held after a few police officers at the lower rungs were found inept in handling the cases while registering the cases
