The Kanhangad special fast track court has sentenced a 28-year-old man, an employee of a jewellery showroom at Payyannur, to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) for sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl belonging to a Scheduled Tribe community.
Judge P.M. Suresh pronounced the verdict on Thursday (July 17) under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the SC-ST Atrocities Prevention Act.
The incident occurred on July 4, 2023. The accused, B. Adarsh, lured the girl with chocolates into a shed near her home and sexually assaulted her. Investigation revealed that Adarsh had been stalking the girl pretending to be in love with her.
The convict was also slapped with a fine of ₹5,000. Failure to pay the fine will result in an additional three months in jail.
Published – July 19, 2025 01:10 am IST
