TIRUCHY: The Ariyalur fast-track mahila court on Saturday sentenced a 45-year-old man to 17 years imprisonment and slapped a fine of Rs 15,000 for sexually abusing an eight-year-old girl.
According to the prosecution, on April 4, P Dhanavel (45) of Cholankurichi in Ariyalur, had offered a lift to an eight-year-old girl on his bike while she was waiting for a bus at Udayarpalayam. When the girl accepted the offer, Dhanavel took her to a an eucalyptus grove along Cholankurichi and sexually abused her. The girl, who was later abandoned by the man in the grove, was rescued by a few passers-by.
Then, Jayamkondam all women police registered a case and arrested Dhanavel. When the case came up for trial on Saturday, the Mahila court convicted Dhanavel and awarded 14 years imprisonment with an additional term of three years for abduction.