Store owner, supervisor held for assaulting girls in Mathur

CHENNAI: Three minor girls consumed pesticides after they were allegedly assaulted by their former employer, a departmental store owner in Mathur.

While the owner was arrested on hurt charges and for employing minors, police investigations revealed that the supervisor in the store had sexually harassed the girls. He was booked under the Pocso (Protection of Children from Sexual offences) Act and arrested.

The girls, residents of Mathur, were working in the departmental store for the past few months, police said.

On March 16 (Thursday), the supervisor, K Chandrasekar (61) had allegedly sexually harassed the girls. Upset over this, the girls mixed diarrhoea tablets in his tea last Sunday, police investigations revealed.

On learning of the girls' act, the owner of the store, M Senthilkumar (51) assaulted them on Wednesday and sent them off work.

Upset over this, the girls procured a pesticide and consumed it. They were found unconscious by passerby who admitted them to Government Stanley Hospital.

Avadi City Police on Thursday arrested the store owner, M Senthil Kumar of Thiruvottiyur and the supervisor, K Chandrasekar of Padiyanallur. They were produced before a magistrate and remanded in custody.