A 27-year-old man has been sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for life and fined ₹ 50,000 for sexually abusing a Dalit girl after leading her to believe that he had married her. The accused, Sanal Kumar, alias Vikraman, of Amaravila, had lured the minor girl as she was attempting to escape from a mahila mandiram with two other girls in 2016. He had taken her to a temple and convinced her that they were married. They remained together for three days after which Sanal Kumar abandoned her. The court did not accept the defence stand that the sexual abuse charge is not tenable as they were in a physical relationship after getting married. The girl had been staying at the mahila mandiram after being sexually abused by her father. M. P. Shibu, Judge, Additional District Court (POCSO), Thiruvananthapuram, sentenced Sanal Kumar to life imprisonment and fine of ₹ 25,000 under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, and 10 years imprisonment and ₹ 25,000 fine under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO Act). Public Prosecutor Katayikonam J. K. Ajith Prasad appeared for the Prosecution.
