Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Sep 12: The additional district and sessions court (FTSC-2 POCSO), Dakshina Kannada, has sentenced Fakkeerappa Hanumappa Madar (51) of Belagavi district to death for sexually assaulting and murdering a minor girl at Jokatte on August 6, 2024.

According to police, the victim, who was staying with her uncle in a rented house at Jokatte, was attacked between 9 am and 9:15 am when the accused trespassed into the house. He sexually assaulted the girl and killed her. A case was registered at Panambur police station under Crime No. 89/2024.

Following investigation, a chargesheet was filed under Section 103(1) (murder) and Section 332(a) of the BNS Act, along with Section 4(2) of the POCSO Act. After trial, the court found the accused guilty and awarded him the death penalty for murder, life imprisonment with a fine of Rs 50,000 under the POCSO Act, and an additional four months’ imprisonment in case of default. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 under Section 332(a) of the BNS Act, with another four months’ imprisonment if the fine is not paid.

The accused had been in custody for about one year during the trial. The case was disposed of within one year and one month of registration, leading to a conviction.

The investigation was carried out under the guidance of former police commissioner Anupam Agrawal IPS, DCPs Siddharth Goyal IPS (law and order) and B P Dinesh Kumar (crime and traffic), and ACP Srikanth K (north subdivision). Inspector Mohammad Saleem Abbas of Panambur police station led the investigation and filed the chargesheet.