The Madras High Court has strongly cautioned that police personnel entrusted with protecting women must not turn into “predators”, while hearing a case linked to an alleged sexual assault in Tiruvannamalai.
The matter relates to a 26-year-old woman from Andhra Pradesh who had come to the Arunachaleswarar temple for darshan. She was allegedly sexually assaulted on September 29, 2025, and two personnel from the Tiruvannamalai East police station—Sundar and Sureshraj—were accused in the case.
Seeking speedy trial, the survivor filed a public interest petition before the High Court, also requesting details of pending cases in POCSO and women’s special courts. A bench comprising Chief Justice S.A. Dharmadhikari and Justice G. Arul Murugan issued a set of directions to strengthen timelines and oversight.
The court said trial courts and women’s special courts should make all efforts to complete cases involving sexual offences against women within two months. It also directed that the Tamil Nadu DGP should annually review night patrol duties to prevent abuse of authority.
The bench further asked the Registrar General to issue a circular to all courts against unnecessary adjournments in sexual offence cases involving women and children. It reiterated that POCSO special courts should record the child victim’s statement within 30 days of taking up a case and complete the trial within a year, and called for an early decision on starting six new special courts, with a progress report to be filed within two months.
