Daijiworld Media Network – Thiruvananthapuram

Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 6: A fast-track court in Kerala has sentenced a 57-year-old man to a cumulative 18 years in prison for repeatedly sexually assaulting a minor girl whom he had been tutoring more than a decade ago.

The incident came to light only in 2024 after the victim, now an MBBS student, reportedly saw a person resembling the accused, triggering memories of the abuse and prompting her to seek medical help.

According to special public prosecutor R S Vijay Mohan, Fast Track Special Court judge Anju Meera Birla convicted the accused under various provisions of the IPC and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. However, since the sentences will run concurrently and the maximum punishment under a single charge is five years, the convict will effectively serve five years in prison.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs 35,000 on the accused and directed the District Legal Services Authority to provide compensation to the victim considering the mental trauma she suffered.

The prosecution stated that the victim was studying in Class 5 in 2013 when she attended tuition classes conducted by the accused. During that period, he allegedly sexually assaulted her multiple times until January 2014. The girl stopped attending the classes after moving to Class 6.
Due to threats from the accused, she did not disclose the incidents at the time. The trauma reportedly caused severe mental distress, panic disorder and even led to the loss of a year of studies during her Plus Two education.

Later, during the COVID-19 period, she underwent psychological treatment through online consultations. After her condition improved, she secured admission to an MBBS course and began staying in a hostel.

In 2024, after seeing a person resembling her former tuition teacher, the memories resurfaced and she sought medical help. The doctor later informed the police.