Convicting a 38-year-old for molesting a 14-year-old girl though she was going to college, a specific court observed the value of CCTV cameras in tracing sex offenders, safeguarding young children and deterring such offenders.
The man was traced with the enable of CCTV footage of the region.
Special judge beneath the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act Bharti Kale mentioned in her judgment, “This is one of the many cases which underlines the importance of CCTV cameras as in this case the parents of the victim had taken efforts to retrieve CCTV footage for enabling them to trace out the accused. Installing CCTV cameras at all places where children have access definitely helps in their protection from sexual offences as well as acts as a deterrent for predators.”
The court sentenced Nijam Khan, a labourer, to 3-years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on him. Of the fine quantity, Rs 5,000 has been directed to be offered as compensation to the victim.
“In the present case, the victim was sexually assaulted by the accused when she was proceeding to school. Such kinds of acts create fear in the minds of young children that they are not safe even in the day-time,” the court observed. The girl desires to be compensated for the mental injury she suffered at the hands of the accused, it added.
In February final year, the girl was going to college with her younger brother about 7.30 AM. Her brother had been left behind to close the zip of his schoolbag. Khan had come close to the girl and asked her why she was going to college so early, molested her, and fled. Frightened, the girl had hidden behind a automobile till her brother caught up. She had gone to college and informed her principal and then her mother. Her parents had then checked the CCTV footage of the region, lodged a police complaint and Khan had been arrested.