Residents stage protests in the Nilgiris, demand Goondas Act be invoked against rape accused  

Residents of Thalakundah block roads, demanding the arrest of a man accused of sexually assaulting a minor.

Residents of Thalakundah on the outskirts of Udhagamandalam town blocked the Ooty-Gudalur Road as well as the Ooty-Masinagudi Road on Thursday morning, demanding that a 23-year-old man, accused of sexually assaulting a minor, be booked under the Goondas Act.

According to the police, the accused, identified as Ajith, an area resident, had sexually assaulted a nine-year-old girl whom he had lured into a thicket when she was returning home on Wednesday evening. Area residents, who heard the cries of the child, were said to have chased Ajith and assaulted him before handing him over to the Pudumund police.

Both the victim as well as Ajith were admitted to the government medical college and hospital in Udhagamandalam.

Following the incident, local residents staged a protest and blocked all traffic at the crucial Thalakundah Junction, demanding that the accused be arrested and booked under the Goondas Act. Police said Ajith had already been charged under six sections of the Indian Penal Code as well as the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.

Top officials from the Nilgiris district police as well as the Revenue department rushed to the spot and held talks with residents, promising action against Ajith. After a prolonged discussion, the residents discontinued their protests. The protests led to huge traffic jams for up to 10 km on either side of the Thalakundah Junction. However, police managed to restore traffic flow soon afterwards.

Police officials said Ajith had already been arrested in December, 2022 for sexually assaulting a minor girl in the same area and had been recently released on bail.