THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A special fast-track court here has sentenced a man to seven years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 65,000 for abducting two minor girls by impersonating a police officer and sexually assaulting one of them.
The accused, Vishnu, 35, a native of Madathuvila near the Medical College, was found guilty by Special Fast Track Court Judge Anju Meera Birla. The court also directed that the fine amount be paid to the survivor and that the Legal Services Authority provide compensation to the child.
According to the prosecution, the incident occurred on the night of November 5, 2022. Two 15-year-old girls, who had run away from a government home, reached the Medical College grounds to meet a friend. The accused approached them, claimed to be a police officer, and questioned their presence there. When the frightened girls tried to flee, he chased them on his scooter, intercepted them, and threatened them.
He allegedly told the girls that he could help them avoid legal trouble for escaping from the home, provided they obeyed him. Out of fear, the minors accompanied him. The accused then took them to a nearby lodge, where he booked a room and sexually assaulted one of the girls. The following morning, the accused dropped the girls near the Medical College junction, saying he would “settle” the charges against them, and then absconded. Meanwhile, the home authorities had lodged a missing complaint with the Poojappura police. The girls were later found near the Museum by the police, and during questioning, the details of the sexual assault came to light.