Rape of minor: Driver, 2 others held

The van driver’s two friends including a minor boy have also been arrested for helping him in the offence.

According to police, Vignesh (22), a van driver from Vellode, who is married and has a five-month-old baby, had lured the minor girl, studying Class 8 under the pretext of marrying her. 

On December 22, Vignesh along with his two friends took the girl to Chennai in an omni sleeper bus, when he sexually abused the girl. Based on a complaint from the girls’ parents, the Erode police traced the girl in Tirupur and rescued her on Tuesday.

Following inquiries, the police arrested Vignesh under POCSO Act and his two friends, R Ramesh (22) and a minor boy on charges of kidnap, on Wednesday.

While Vignesh and Ramesh were lodged at Coimbatore Central Prison, the juvenile offender was sent to Borstal School at Pollachi.