Three women were arrested on Friday in Royapuram All Women Police Station limits for abetting and not reporting rape of a minor 13 years ago.
Among the arrested were the 21-year-old victim’s mother and aunt. The third accused is said to be an administrator of a home run by a non-governmental organisation in north Chennai. The victim was said to have been aged nine when the crime was committed.
The victim lodged a complaint with the help of Child Welfare committee (CWC) member N. Lalitha, who is an advocate. In her complaint, she said she was raped by her maternal uncle and his associates.
In her complaint, the victim said that her father died in 2009 and she was forced to be under the care of her maternal uncle and aunt in Kasimedu. Her uncle repeatedly sexually assaulted her and showed her pornographic content on cellphone. Whenever she complained to her aunt, the woman allegedly sprayed chilli powder on her.
She ran away and stayed at a home run by an NGO where she completed Class VIII. However, she was spotted by her mother and uncle and brought back home.
The victim was allegedly beaten and raped by uncle's friends Siva, Srinivasan and Ramesh. When she complained about it to her mother, it was brushed aside as normal and she was advised to ignore it. After the victim became pregnant, her mother made her undergo abortion. Later, she was admitted to a home run by an NGO in north Chennai.
A few years ago, the victim was raped by two men when she was staying in another home.
The police have named 12 people in the FIR for offences under the Protection of Children from Sexual Act, Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act and IPC. Three of the 12 accused, the mother, aunt and the administrator of the home in north Chennai were arrested for failing to report the crime to the police.
Efforts are on to nab other accused, the police added.
