India, March 21 -- PRAYAGRAJ Grabbing breasts of the victim, breaking the string of her pyjama and trying to drag her beneath the culvert are not enough to charge an accused with the offence of rape or attempt to rape, the Allahabad high court observed recently, describing such an act as "aggravated sexual assault" while modifying a summoning order and altering the charges against two accused.

The two accused were initially summoned by the district court to face trial under Section 376 of the IPC (rape) and Section 18 of the Pocso Act, but the HC instead directed that the accused be tried under Section 354-B of the IPC (assault or use of criminal force with intent to disrobe) with Sections 9/10 of the Pocso Act (aggravated sexual assault...