CHENGALPATTU: A 20-year-old polytechnic student and another man have been arrested under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act for the alleged sexual assault of a 14-year-old schoolgirl in a village near Kalpakkam in Chengalpattu district.
The accused, identified as Maheswaran (20) and Ajay (27), both residents of Karaithittu village, were arrested by the Mamallapuram All Women Police and remanded in judicial custody by a court in Tirukazhukundram. They were later lodged in Chengalpattu prison.
Police action followed a complaint lodged by the girl's father after she was found unconscious and in distress. The minor, a Class VII student from Karaithittu village in Vayalur panchayat, is undergoing treatment at the Chengalpattu Government Hospital.
According to investigators, the girl left her house in the early hours of the day and did not return for an extended period, prompting her family to search for her. She was later traced and taken to the hospital.
Based on the complaint, police registered a case and launched an investigation. The two suspects were subsequently traced to a hideout in the village and taken into custody.
During interrogation, the accused allegedly admitted their involvement in the offence, police said.
Investigators said Maheswaran is pursuing an engineering course at a private polytechnic near Tirukazhukundram, while Ajay is employed at a shrimp farm in Marakkanam.
Further investigation is under way.