Two Schoolgirls Sexually Assaulted in Munnar Lodge After Being Lured via Instagram; Police Launch Probe  

Munnar,Idukki : The Munnar Police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) and launched an investigation after two Plus-Two schoolgirls, who live in a local hostel, were lured to a lodge and sexually assaulted for two days. The victims had previously befriended two young men through the social media platform Instagram.  

The incident took place when the girls left for school on Monday morning and were heading to the town area to catch a bus. The two accused, who were staying at a lodge on Mattupetty Road, intercepted the girls and brought them into their room. The abuse came to light on Wednesday morning when the girls finally arrived at school. Noticing their prolonged absence, the school teachers questioned them, leading to the disclosure of the assault. The police have established clear leads regarding the accused, who are reportedly natives of Tamil Nadu, and have intensified search operations to apprehend them. 

Legal significance 

This case involves the application of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, alongside the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS). Because the survivors are minor schoolgirls under the age of 18, the offenses escalate to Aggravated Penetrative Sexual Assault under Section 5 of the POCSO Act, specifically dealing with assault committed by a group of persons or repeated over a duration. Under Section 6, a conviction for such aggravated offenses carries severe statutory penalties, including a mandatory minimum of 20 years of rigorous imprisonment, which can extend to life imprisonment or the death penalty.  

Furthermore, luring minors away from lawful guardianship and confining them in a lodge for days invokes additional charges of kidnapping and wrongful confinement under the BNS, 2023. 

📰 Source: Media One (English)