<p class="title">The city police have arrested a 50-year-old ragpicker for sexually assaulting a nine-year-old girl over the past 15 days in his neighbourhood in Nandini Layout.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The suspect, Pothalaiah, is a resident of Lakshmidevi Nagar. He used to lure the girl, a class 3 student, and sexually assault her while her parents were away at work. Her parents are construction labourers, the police said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The incident came to light on Sunday when the girl's mother confronted Pothalaiah while she was on her way to a shop.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Pothalaiah greeted the woman and began to chat, but her daughter was feeling uncomfortable and asked her mother to take her home.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Suspecting something was amiss, she asked her daughter what was troubling her. The girl narrated the incident to her mother. The shocked woman lodged a complaint with the Nandini Layout police.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Based on her complaint, the police arrested Pothalaiah and booked him under Section 8 and 9 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and remanded him to judicial custody. Pothalaiah, who lives alone, is a chronic alcoholic, the police said. </p>
<p class="title">The city police have arrested a 50-year-old ragpicker for sexually assaulting a nine-year-old girl over the past 15 days in his neighbourhood in Nandini Layout.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The suspect, Pothalaiah, is a resident of Lakshmidevi Nagar. He used to lure the girl, a class 3 student, and sexually assault her while her parents were away at work. Her parents are construction labourers, the police said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The incident came to light on Sunday when the girl's mother confronted Pothalaiah while she was on her way to a shop.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Pothalaiah greeted the woman and began to chat, but her daughter was feeling uncomfortable and asked her mother to take her home.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Suspecting something was amiss, she asked her daughter what was troubling her. The girl narrated the incident to her mother. The shocked woman lodged a complaint with the Nandini Layout police.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Based on her complaint, the police arrested Pothalaiah and booked him under Section 8 and 9 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and remanded him to judicial custody. Pothalaiah, who lives alone, is a chronic alcoholic, the police said. </p>