58-year-old cop misbehaves with schoolgirl, held

A 58-year-old special sub-inspector, a grandparent himself, who is four months away from retirement, was arrested under Pocso Act for his inappropriate conduct in front of a 10-year-old schoolgirl in Villivakkam.

The accused, K Vasu of Kolathur, who is to retire from service in four months, has a son and a daughter who are married and have children, said police. Vasu, attached to the Madhavaram Milk Colony Police station, is said to have been targeting the girl for the last three months.

The victim is a resident of Villivakkam and studies in Class 5 at a nearby government school. “Whenever the girl returned home from school, Vasu would go to a specific spot and wait for her. He allegedly conducted himself in a lewd manner which included displayinghis private parts,” said police officer quoting the victim.

Though the girl complained to her parents twice, they hesitated to take it up with the police fearing backlash. On Saturday evening, however, a few youngsters noticed Vasu making vulgar gestures and chased him. Vasu tried to escape from the spot on his patrol vehicle and reached Sidco Nagar in Villivakkam. But the youngsters caught up with him and beat him up. On information, the Villivakkam police rushed to the spot and rescued Vasu.

Initially, the police did not register a case, as the girl’s parents were reluctant to lodge a complaint. But when the news reached senior officers, they took a serious view of the matter, and a case was registered against Vasu on their instructions onSunday morning.

Vasu was booked under Pocso Act and produced in Mahila Court inside the High Court premises before being remanded in custody and lodged at Puzhal Central Prison.