Ex-BJP candidate and lawyer, Prem Anand was arrested for sexually assaulting a minor in a train running from Thiruvananthapuram to Chennai. According to reports, Anand was arrested by the Erode Railway Police under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO Act) after the minor girl complained about his assault. Anand was the BJP candidate for RK Nagar constituency of North Chennai in 2006. The victim, a nine-year-old girl was travelling with her family from Thiruvananthapuram to Chennai.

According to a report on The News Minute, the complaint of the victim's mother has been recorded, "This man got in with an open ticket, without reservation. A berth opposite mine was not occupied. I guess the TTE took money and let him in, though he denied it. He kissed her cheeks and pressed her chest, closed her mouth and molested her further. She pushed him. He got up to touch her the second time and she screamed, ‘Mama, this man is touching my chest’", she said. As per  police, the girl shouted and woke her parents up. Prem Anand even threatened the family of dire consequences and claimed that he is a big shot in the BJP and has good relation with several top RSS leaders. He will be remanded to judicial custody for the alleged crime.

This weekend, on the wake of the increase in incidents of crime against the women and minors, the POCSO Act has been amended, where a person if convicted of raping a girl between the age of 0-12, will get death penalty.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 23, 2018 08:44 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).