Mayiladuthurai Collector faults child survivor of sexual assault, gets transferred

Mayiladuthurai District Collector A.P. Mahabharathi speaks at a training programme on POCSO Act in Mayiladuthurai on February 28, 2025
| Photo Credit: X/@MayilaiDistrict

Mayiladuthurai Collector A.P. Mahabharathi was transferred on Friday after he triggered outrage by blaming a three-year-old survivor for the recent sexual assault on her by a 16-year-old boy in the Tamil Nadu district.

At a training programme on the POCSO Act, Mr. Mahabharathi said the girl had behaved “wrongly” by spitting on the boy, and this might have led to the incident. In the evening, the government transferred him and posted Erode Corporation Commissioner H.S. Srikanth in his place, Chief Secretary N. Muruganandam said in an order.

The meeting was organised by the Department of Child Welfare and Special Services for police personnel, child welfare committee members, revenue officials, and other stakeholders.

In his address, Mr. Mahabharathi referred to the recent POCSO Act case in the Anaikkaranchathiram police limits, where the boy was detained after allegedly trying to sexually assault the girl. The boy had allegedly approached the girl with sexual intent and physically assaulted her, causing injuries to her head and face. The girl is undergoing treatment at JIPMER, Puducherry.

“The child had behaved wrongly in the case. If you keenly observe, you will know. Based on the report I received, the child had spat on the boy’s face that morning — that might have been the reason. That is why we are forced to look at both sides. Prevention is better than cure. We need to sensitise; parents should be sensitised to the need to educate their children. Teaching a two or three-year-old is difficult, so parents should be sensitised,” Mr. Mahabharathi said.

Remarks condemned

The CPI(M) district unit has called a protest in front of the Collectorate for Saturday to condemn Mr. Mahabharathi’s remarks.

BJP Tamil Nadu president K. Annamalai, in a post on X, condemned Mr. Mahabharathi for blaming the child for the assault.