A court in Idukki (Kerala) has sentenced a 31-year-old man to triple life imprisonment for raping his 9-year-old daughter two years ago.
The Judge
Devikulam Fast Track Special Court (POCSO) Judge, Sirajuddin P A also imposed a fine of Rs 5,70,000 on the accused. According to special public prosecutor Smiju K Das, the court declared that the convict would spend the remainder of his natural life behind bars. Additionally, the court sentenced him to 36 years of rigorous imprisonment under different sections of the POCSO Act and the Indian Penal Code.
The gruesome incident
The incident took place between 2021 and 2022. The case stemmed from the plantation region of Munnar, where the victim lived with her parents.
As per the prosecution, the girl resided with her father following her mother’s abandonment. From March 1, 2021, to August 21, 2022, the accused allegedly subjected her to repeated instances of rape.
The prosecutor also mentioned that he issued threats, cautioning the child about severe consequences if she disclosed it to anyone.
Courage
However, the victim informed her mother about the rape. She suffered burn injuries after the accused placed a heated spoon on her left arm muscle for revealing the incidents to her mother.
Subsequently, the child shared her ordeal with her fellow student and a teacher, who provides counseling services at her school.
The school then informed the Child Welfare Committee (CWC). The CWC, in turn, alerted the police, resulting in the filing of the case. The prosecution examined 22 witnesses and presented 42 documents as evidence.
