Man Sentenced To 3 Life Terms For Repeatedly Raping Minor Daughter in Kerala

Idukki: A man in Kerala’s Idukki district has been sentenced to three life terms for the prolonged sexual abuse of his minor daughter, in a case that has left the region deeply shaken. The sentencing was handed down on Thursday by the Idukki Fast Track Special Court, which ordered that the punishment would extend till the convict’s death.

According to the prosecution, the disturbing acts took place over a span of three years at their rented home in Karimanoor. According to the survivor’s statement, the abuse began when she was just five years old and continued until she turned eight.

The shocking details emerged in 2020, when the child, undergoing treatment for persistent abdominal pain, asked her mother whether her illness might be linked to her father's actions. Alarmed by the question, the mother sought counselling for her daughter, during which the child disclosed the repeated sexual assaults. 

A case was soon registered against the father at the Karimanoor police station under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Delivering the verdict, Judge Manju V of the Idukki Fast Track Special Court sentenced the man to three life terms, to be served till death, for multiple offences under POCSO. Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Shijomon Joseph stated that the court accepted the prosecution's plea for the harshest punishment considering the gravity of the crime.

The convict was also fined ₹3 lakh. The court ordered that, if recovered, the amount should be handed over to the child as compensation. In the event of non-payment, the convict will face an additional six years of imprisonment.

This judgment stands as a grim reminder of the atrocities children can face within their own homes, and underscores the critical importance of awareness, timely intervention, and justice in protecting young lives.

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