3-year-old may have provoked sexual assault, says Mayiladuthurai collector, shunted out

TRICHY: Hours after suggesting that a three-year-old Pocso case survivor in Sirkazhi may have 'provoked' the actions of the accused by spitting on the boy's face, Mayiladuthurai collector AP Mahabharathi was transferred and replaced by Erode corporation commissioner H S Srikanth on Friday evening.
The case involves a 16-year-old boy who was taken into custody on Tuesday for sexually assaulting a schoolgirl.
Police said she suffered head and facial injuries after the boy approached her with sexual intent and assaulted her with a brick as she tried to escape.
In a video that has gone viral, Mahabharathi is heard saying at a meeting on Pocso Act that both sides should be considered before drawing conclusions.
'Comments were taken in the wrong way'
According to the information I received, the child spat on the boy's face that morning, which may have triggered his reaction. It is important to look at both sides," he said.
Mahabharathi later told TOI on Friday that his comments were taken in the wrong spirit. "I didn't mean it in the wrong way but with good intention," he said.
Hitting out at the official, BJP state president Annamalai said, "The Mayiladuthurai district collector has claimed that the three-and-a-half-year-old survivor also bears some blame in the horrific sexual assault case. On behalf of BJP Tamil Nadu, we strongly condemn his outrageous remarks," he said on X.
"Chief minister and ministers have continued to blame survivors and publish their personal details, which is the reason for this speech by the district collector," Annamalai said. Commenting on the speech, DMK MP Kanimozhi said, "How do people like these call themselves educated or even human? And why are we expected to tolerate it."