A shocking assault on a 13-year-old girl at a government shelter in Chitlapakkam near Tambaram has sparked public anger and intense political criticism. The girl, recently placed in the home after her father’s death, was allegedly attacked by 50-year-old night guard Mathew, a long-time employee. During the attempted assault around 5 a.m. on a Sunday, she resisted, prompting the accused to drop her, resulting in a fractured leg.
While staff initially claimed it was a simple fall, alert medical personnel at Chromepet Government Hospital suspected foul play and notified police. The girl was later moved to Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital for surgery. After an internal probe and CCTV review, Mathew was identified and arrested under the POCSO Act and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. He had no prior complaints despite working at the shelter for seven years.
Minister for Social Welfare Geeta Jeevan confirmed that the warden was absent, and only the cook was present at the time. She has now directed all shelters to appoint female guards, with at least one staying overnight to ensure child safety.
Political leaders, including AIADMK’s Edappadi K. Palaniswami and AMMK’s T.T.V. Dhinakaran, slammed the DMK government for its failure to protect children in care homes. CM MK Stalin’s office assured swift action and reinforced security protocols in all such facilities.
The case has been handed over to Selaiyur All Women Police Station for deeper investigation.
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