Latest news with #PoCSO)Act
The Hindu
9 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Protest planned in Kalaburagi over sexual assault on minor
The Sakal Hindu Samaj, a consortium of various organizations, has announced a mass protest in Kalaburagi on Tuesday against the sexual assault on a minor in Nandikur Tanda on the outskirts of Kalaburagi. Members of the samaj Divya Hagaragi and Ramchandra Jadhav, addressing the press here on Sunday, said that the religious heads of various mutts, community leaders and several organizations will join the protest march from Jagat Circle to Deputy Commissioner's office. Ms. Hagaragi urged citizens to unite for the 'safety of our daughters'. She said that the accused, Waseem Shaikh, sexually assaulted the minor girl from Nandikur Tanda three weeks ago. Later, the accused, along with his parents and relatives, barged into the victim's house and harassed the girl's parents using abusive language and even forced them to get their daughter married to Waseem Shaikh, she said. A case has been lodged under the Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences (PoCSO) Act at the Gulbarga University Police Station.
The Hindu
21-05-2025
- The Hindu
Officials told to swiftly file FIRs against those involved in child marriage activities
Deputy Commissioner Fouzia Taranum has directed officials to immediately file First Information Reports (FIRs) and initiate legal action against those involved in child marriage activities across Kalaburagi district. Chairing a progress review meeting at her office here on Wednesday, Ms. Taranum instructed all authorities concerned to register cases related to the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (PoCSO) Act and child marriage without yielding to any political influence. Officers told the meeting that 43 cases of child marriage have been reported across various taluks between January and April 2025. Officials also told the meeting on the specifics of each case. Regarding PoCSO Act cases registered in the city during the same period, the Deputy Commissioner sought updates from the police and sought proactive steps to be taken to curb such incidents. Officials reported 12 PoCSO Act cases under investigation in the city with charge-sheets already filed in court by the police. Ms. Taranum emphasised the importance of PoCSO Act awareness workshops in government and private schools and colleges to help students understand the law and prevent offences involving minors. 658 cases The District Child Welfare Committee (CWC) told the meeting that it has handled 658 cases between January and April 2025. These include matters involving child marriage, sexual abuse, runaway children, child labour, beggary, orphans and children of single parents. The officers added that from 2024 to April 2025, Childlines (1098 and 112) received 237 calls, all of which were attended to promptly. Ms. Taranum highlighted that information about the Childlines must be prominently displayed in all educational institutions. Adoptions, COVID-hit Officer told the meeting that as part of the 2024-25 adoption programme, 11 children — five boys and six girls — have been placed with adoptive families through the government's online system available at Three of these adoptions involved girls placed with international families. Special attention was drawn to orphans affected by COVID-19. Children who lost both parents and are now in the care of relatives are receiving support under the Chief Minister's Baal Seva Yojana, with eligible children getting ₹3,500 per month via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). Two of the children are currently benefiting from the scheme and those who complete Class 10 under it will also be provided with laptops for higher education. The meeting reviewed the functioning of government-run child care institutions registered under the Juvenile Justice Act. NGOs were instructed to ensure basic amenities and promptly report any issues to the authorities. Calling for a collective approach, Ms. Taranum urged officials, elected representatives and the public to work together to raise awareness and prevent child rights violations. Senior civil judge and secretary of the District Legal Services Authority Srinivas Navale stressed the need for the police to respond swiftly to public grievances and ensure justice through accountability and integrity. The meeting was attended by Zilla Panchayat CEO Bhanwar Singh Meena, Municipal Commissioner Avinash Shinde, Child Welfare Police Officer Chandrashekar, RCH Officer Sidramappa Patil, Women and Child Welfare Deputy Director Rajkumar Rathod and various child development officials and NGO representatives.
The Hindu
09-05-2025
- The Hindu
19-year-old gets life imprisonment for sexually assaulting 10-year-old girl
The Additional District and Sessions Court (PoCSO Act Special) in Kalaburagi has sentenced a 19-year-old youth to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of ₹30,000 on him for sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl. As per information provided by public prosecutor in the case Shanthaveer B. Tuppad, the accused, Sonu, son of Tara Singh Jadhav and a resident of File Tanda near Nandur (K) village in Kalaburagi taluk, raped the girl at 2.30 p.m. on August 9, 2024 after stuffing a piece of cloth in her mouth to prevent her from screaming. 'When the girl was playing on a swing, the accused approached her and took her upstairs in the house on the pretext of watering plants. He then undressed her in an attempt to rape her. When the girl resisted, he stuffed her mouth with a piece of cloth and raped her,' Mr. Tuppad said. Earlier, the accused lured the minor girl with the promise of marriage. Despite her refusal, he took her to Kolhapur in Maharashtra on February 6, 2023 and raped her multiple times for 10 days in a room that he had rented, he said. He committed the crime despite knowing the fact that the girl was a minor, Mr. Tuppad said. Giving additional information on the case, the public prosecutor said that attempts were made to suppress the case at their Tanda (hamlet) level itself by the accused's parents offering a marriage between the victim and the accused. 'However, the victim's parents refused the offer by stating that their daughter was like the accused's daughter and that incest was prohibited in their traditional customs. The parents and the close relatives of the accused even attempted to assault the victim's parents,' Mr. Tuppad said. Following a complaint, a case was registered at the University Police Station under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023 and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (PoCSO) Act. Circle Inspector of Police Renukadevi and Circle Inspector of Police Sushilkumar investigated the case and filed a charge-sheet confirming the crimes committed by the accused as specified in the complaint. Hearing both parties and examining witnesses and evidence, judge Yamanappa Bammanagi found the accused guilty of the crimes specified in the complaint and charge-sheet and pronounced various sentences and imposed different fines on the accused for different crimes. He sentenced the convict to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of ₹20,000 on him under Section 6 of PoCSO Act. The convict was sentenced to 20 years in jail and a fine of ₹10,000 under Section 4(2) of the Act. The judge also ordered the District Legal Services Authority to give a compensation of ₹7,00,000 to the victim within one month from the pronouncement of the order.
