Retired official arrested under POCSO Act in Ongole after girl’s friend calls 112
A 64-year-old retired official has been arrested in Ongole, India, under the POCSO and SC/ST Acts following allegations of sexually exploiting a minor girl. The incident was reported after a friend of the victim contacted the emergency helpline, prompting immediate police intervention and government directives for stricter hostel oversight.
Why it matters
The case highlights critical issues regarding the safety of minors in state-run welfare facilities and the effectiveness of emergency response systems.
The police have arrested a 64-year-old man under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act on a charge of sexually exploiting a minor girl in Ongole.
The matter came to light when another girl who was with her called the emergency helpline number 112.
Speaking to The Hindu , Superintendent of Police V. Harshavardhan Raju said the girl lived at a BC Welfare hostel in Prakasam district. She and another girl were allegedly taken by the hostel cook to the house of Battula Venkata Rao, a retired DRDA employee, on Tuesday (September 29, 2026).
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