The Fast Track Mahila Court in Udhagamandalam, on April 12, 2024, sentenced a 24-year-old man to life in prison for the rape and murder of a minor girl.
The accused, Rajnesh Kuttan, is said to be related to the victim, a Class 9 student.
According to the sources, on April 24, 2023, Rajnesh Kuttan spotted the victim waiting for a bus and had offered to drop her home. He is then said to have sexually abused and murdered the girl. Her body was then disposed off in a forested area, where police and local residents found her.
Based on their investigation, the police arrested the accused and charged him for murder as well as under various sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Special public prosecutor (Mahila court), P. Senthil Kumar, appeared on behalf of the prosecution.
Judge R. Sridharan found Kuttan guilty and sentenced him to life in prison, and also imposed a fine of ₹ 53,000 on him.
