Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Mar 6: A special court to handle cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act became operational in the city on Thursday March 5. It is among 17 such courts set up in different districts of the state in tune with the directives of the Supreme Court as per which it has been made mandatory to open special courts in districts where over a hundred POCSO cases are pending disposal.

The POCSO court in the city has been opened in the sixth floor of the district courts complex. Judge of the special court Savitri V Bhat, inaugurated the court. As many as 185 POSO cases are pending in Dakshina Kannada district, it is gathered.

District chief sessions judge Kadlur Satyanarayana Achar, vice president of Bar Association Raghavendra H R, and Pushpalata were present.

Mangaluru Bar Association president Narasimha Hegde, explained that POCSO special courts are different in appearance from other courts. The police there are not dressed their uniforms, and the rooms are congenial for children with toys, slide, colourful paintings on walls etc. He said that this environment is created to mentally prepare children who have gone through sexual harassment for the hearing.