3 min readChennaiAug 19, 2024 06:40 PM IST
First published on: Aug 19, 2024 at 04:00 PM IST
A 13-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted and others were harassed during a fake National Cadet Corps (NCC) camp held earlier this month at a private school in Tamil Nadu’s Krishnagiri district.
Eight people have been arrested in connection with the case, including Sivaraman, the district youth wing secretary of Naam Tamilar Katchi – a regional political group. Sivaraman, who had organised the camp, was the one who allegedly sexually assaulted the girl.
The principal of the school where the camp was held was also among those arrested.
According to police, Shivaraman approached the private school, offering a training programme that would supposedly prepare the school for obtaining an NCC unit sanction. The school, eager to have an NCC unit, failed to verify Sivaraman’s credentials or those of his team, which included a retired CRPF sub-inspector.
The camp was held from August 5 to August 9, and involved 41 students, including 17 girls.
“During the camp, boys were housed on the ground floor and the girls on the upper floor. The camp’s training sessions included a ‘military-like’ training session where students were deployed in groups to guard the school compound for four-hour shifts during the night. During one of these night shifts, Sivaraman sexually assaulted a 13-year-old girl,” said a senior officer monitoring the probe.
“The victim reported the assault to the school’s principal, Sathish Kumar, but rather than taking action, the principal, along with the school correspondent and two teachers, chose to cover up the crime. The girl eventually informed her mother, leading her father to contact the police on Friday,” the officer said.
According to the officer, apart from the girl who was sexually assaulted, at least four other girl students were allegedly harassed by Sivaraman and his associates.
Police have arrested Sivaraman, his three associates involved in the training camp, the principal, the school correspondent, and two teachers.
“Sivaraman’s group conducted similar unauthorised training sessions at three other schools in Krishnagiri. They convinced the management of the current school by showing photos and videos from these previous sessions. The investigation into those schools is ongoing,” the officer said.
Sivaraman had fled from his home after the police began searching for him, but was apprehended in Coimbatore on Saturday. He is currently hospitalised with fractures to his right leg and left hand, injuries allegedly sustained during his arrest.
The camp was held from August 5 to August 9, and involved 41 students, including 17 girls. (Representative/ Express archives) 
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