CHENNAI: A history-sheeter was arrested under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (Pocso) Act for allegedly raping a Class 10 girl after threatening to assault her family, in Pulianthope. The man was arrested and remanded to judicial custody.

The accused is a 23-year-old with several cases pending against him, officials said.

The police said the victim, a 15-year-old girl, is a Class 10 student of a government school. Both her parents go for work and return home only late in the evening, due to which the child would be alone at home after returning from school, said her mother in the complaint.

Exploiting this, the accused would often pester the girl to accept his overtures. On November 12, he allegedly slashed his wrists in front of the girl and also threatened to harm her family if she failed to accept his love. The woman said he then took her petrified daughter to his house and raped her. This happened again a few days later.

The issue finally came to light on Sunday when the girl told her mother about the incidents. The same day, the mother lodged a complaint at an All Women Police Station. Based on the complaint, the police registered a case under section 5 (l) and 6 of the Pocso Act and arrested the suspect.