Mother, 7 minors arrested in 13-year-old's serial rape case in Chennai

CHENNAI: The Pallavaram police have arrested 12 people, seven of them minors, for an alleged serial rape and sexual exploitation of a 13-year-old girl. The accused, including the girl’s mother who allegedly abetted the crime, have been charged under the stringent Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The girl, who had been residing with her mother in Pozhichalur near Pallavaram, was reportedly subjected to months of sexual abuse. Investigations have revealed that a 17-year-old boy who delivered water cans to their home was the first to sexually harass her.

Over the subsequent weeks, his friends—several of whom are minors—repeatedly assaulted her. The girl's mother allegedly ignored the abuse and even coerced her daughter to comply with the perpetrators, according to police.

The incident came to light after the girl’s mother took her to Chengalpattu Government Medical College Hospital after she developed severe health complications. Doctors there found that the girl was six months pregnant, prompting the hospital to alert the Tambaram City Police. A formal complaint was lodged at the All Women Police Station in Pallavaram, leading to immediate arrests of the accused.

Among the 12 arrested are five adults identified as Nandhakumar (19), Sanjay Kumar (19), Sanjay (18), Surya (22), and Nikshan (22). The girl's mother faces charges of criminal conspiracy under POCSO.

While the minors were sent to Chengalpattu Juvenile Correctional School, the remaining accused and the mother have been remanded in Puzhal Central Prison. The police indicated that further arrests are likely as the probe progresses.

The survivor has been placed in a state-run women's shelter. The case has ignited fierce condemnation across Chennai, with demands for stricter enforcement of child protection laws. Authorities emphasised the gravity of the mother's alleged role, describing it as a "betrayal of parental trust."