Nine class VIII boys held so far under POCSO Act on charges of harassing schoolmate in Thoothukudi

Nine Class VIII students in Thoothukudi, India, have been arrested under the POCSO Act for the repeated sexual harassment of a schoolmate. The victim's parents filed a complaint after the students allegedly threatened the boy to keep him silent about the abuse.
Why it matters
This case highlights the critical issue of juvenile delinquency and the implementation of child protection laws within the Indian school system.
Nine Class VIII students of a government higher secondary school in a village in Thoothukudi district have been arrested under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act on charges of sexually harassing a schoolmate. While five of them were arrested on Tuesday, four others were arrested on Wednesday. The action followed a complaint lodged by the parents of the victim, also a Class VIII student, at the Vilathikulam All Women Police Station. According to the police, the nine students had allegedly been repeatedly sexually harassing the victim since they were in Class VII. They had also allegedly threatened him with further harassment if he informed his parents or teachers about the incidents. A few days ago, the students allegedly harassed the victim again on the school premises.
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