Mangaluru, Aug 21: Dakshina Kannada Superintendent of Police S.D. Sharanappa has revealed that nearly 70 per cent of cases registered under the Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences Act in the coastal district are related to eloping of girls in the 17-18 age group, with their boyfriends.

Speaking at a meeting here on Thursday to review cases under registered under the POCSO Act and implementation of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act, he said 44 cases had been registered so far under POSCO Act this year. As many as 37 cases were registered in 2014, while 22 were registered in 2013.
Police officers raised the problems while dealing with cases of eloping of girls in the 17-18 age group. They said they had to register cases under POSCO Act against those with whom these girls were found.
A police inspector pointed out at the difficulty in getting a statement from girls, who refuse to say anything against their boyfriends. Another inspector pointed out at the reluctance of girls to undergo medical examination.
A police official said the 20 days time given by the magistrate for recording the victim’s statement was creating another problem as it would delay the medical examination.
Rovina Bastian, coordinator, Karnataka State Police’s Gender Sensitisation Programme, said these problems were not just restricted to Dakshina Kannada but were reported from other parts of the State too.
“In such cases, it is the police alone who face a lot of hardships,” she said. The problem was more related to the age of consent for sex fixed at 18 that was in contrast to the adolescence period that starts at 14.
Principal Civil Judge N.S. Patil, who is the chairman of the Juvenile Justice Board that hears cases related to juveniles in conflict with the law, said Principal District and Sessions Judge Uma M.G. had issued directions to all magistrates to record statements of victims under the POSCO Act on the same day when the police produce them.










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