Daijiworld Media Network - Byndoor (SP)

Byndoor, Jan 14: The additional district and sessions court at Udupi, which is also the designated special court for handling cases under the provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act that heard a case relating to the rape and murder of a college girl, has exonerated both the accused.

A second year PU student of Byndoor PU college was going home from her college on June 17, 2015 when she was murdered in a deserted spot in a thicket through which a pathway was passing. The veil of the girl's churidar was used to asphyxiate her to death. A person named Sunil alias Kappe (19) was accused of following her and killing the girl. It was said that he tried to sexually abuse her before running away. The incident had sent shockwaves through the district.

Sunil was arrested from Yojana Nagara within two days of the incident. Akshay alias Pakka, who was charged with helping Sunil was also arrested. The district court which took up the case examined 26 witnesses.

The court acquitted both the accused, after observing that the prosecution had failed to prove the charges. Udupi-based advocates, Subrahmanya S and Poornima S had represented the accused in the case.