Tamil Nadu bus driver arrested for alleged sexual harassment of 4-year-old girl

Authorities in Tamil Nadu, India, have arrested a 36-year-old government bus driver on charges of sexually harassing a four-year-old girl near Coimbatore. Police reported that the incident took place on Tuesday when the driver allegedly lured the young child, who was playing on the road, into his home.

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The driver has sexually harassed her. We have booked him under various sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act.

The victim later disclosed the incident to her parents, who promptly filed a complaint with the Perur all-women police station. The driver, identified as Shankar, has been booked under various sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act, according to a police officer who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The alleged crime has sparked sharp criticism from opposition parties, including the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). They have raised concerns about women's safety under the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government.

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It is highly condemnable that the moral value of viewing women as mothers, sisters, and daughters has degraded, and incidents of transgressions even against young children due to depraved minds are on the rise.

Former BJP MLA Vanathi Srinivasan expressed dismay, calling the incident "highly condemnable" and noting a perceived degradation of moral values. She suggested that the rise in transgressions against children indicates a failure by the TVK government to ensure safety, urging Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay to strengthen measures for preventing sexual crimes. DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi echoed these concerns, calling for an adequate action plan to prevent such crimes against children and highlighting that child safety has become a significant concern amidst ongoing law and order issues.

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In an environment where law and order issues continue to remain, child safety has also become a question mark.