Chennai: 17 men who ‘sexually assaulted’ minor girl for 7 months thrashed in Court

Chennai, July 17: An 11-year-old girl was allegedly raped at a Chennai apartment building by several men over months. The police have arrested 17 people, including the building's security guard.

The men, when produced in court today, were thrashed, allegedly by some lawyers. The Madras high court lawyers association has also decided not to represent any accused in the case.

#WATCH: Dramatic visuals from Mahila Court in Chennai where lawyers thrash the 18 accused, who sexually harassed an 11-year-old girl for over a period of 7 months. #TamilNadu pic.twitter.com/8ASDOlm7gW

— ANI (@ANI) July 17, 2018

According to the reports, the girl was allegedly sedated and given spiked soft drinks.

The matter came to light after the victim, a class seven student had narrated the sequence of incidents to her elder sister, who later brought this to the notice of their parents, following which a complaint was lodged yesterday, a senior police officer told PTI.

"A complaint was registered by the mother alleging that the girl was sexually assaulted by around 17 people at various days in various places inside the apartment campus," the official said adding that the investigation has begun.

"We are interrogating people.. the girl will be taken to hospital for health check-ups," the official said.

All the accused have been remanded to judicial custody till July 31. They have been booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Meanwhile, DMK working president MK Stalin demanded the strongest punishment for the accused and said government assistance should be provided to the family of the minor girl.

In a statement, Stalin said, the government should ensure the safety of women in all parts of Tamil Nadu. "There is an onus on government to protect women and there should be a speedy trial and justice for the victim," he said.

Congress spokesperson Khushbu Sundar also told News18 that all the perpetrators should be given the strictest punishment.