Daijiworld Media Network- Thiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 4: A fast track court in Kerala has sentenced a 57-year-old man to a cumulative 18 years of imprisonment for repeatedly sexually assaulting a minor girl whom he tutored over a decade ago. However, as the sentences are to run concurrently, the convict will serve five years in jail, the prosecution said.
Thiruvananthapuram Fast Track Special Court judge Anju Meera Birla awarded various jail terms under the Indian Penal Code and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, Special Public Prosecutor R S Vijay Mohan said.
According to the prosecution, the survivor was in Class 5 in 2013 when she attended tuition classes conducted by the accused, who allegedly sexually assaulted her multiple times till January 2014. She stopped going to the classes when she reached Class 6.
The victim did not disclose the incidents at the time due to threats allegedly issued by the tuition teacher and suffered severe mental distress as a result. The trauma also led to the loss of an academic year during her Plus Two studies, the prosecutor said.
Even after completing Plus Two, she reportedly experienced excessive fear, isolation and panic disorder stemming from her past ordeal. Her family sought psychological counselling for her during the COVID-19 period, and she underwent online treatment. As her mother was present during the sessions, she did not reveal the abuse at that time.
Following medical treatment, her condition improved and she secured admission to an MBBS course, later moving into a hostel.
In 2024, while pursuing her medical studies, she reportedly saw a person resembling her former tuition teacher, which triggered severe emotional distress. Upon consulting a doctor, the past abuse came to light. The doctor informed the police, leading to the arrest of the accused.
The court also imposed a fine of ?35,000 on the convict and directed the District Legal Services Authority to pay compensation to the survivor in view of the mental agony she endured, the Special Public Prosecutor added.