Court sentences man to 13 years’ RI for assaulting minor

The Thiruvananthapuram Fast Track Special Court on Tuesday sentenced a 35-year-old man to 13 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of ₹40,000 for abducting and sexually assaulting a minor girl under the false pretext of being her father’s friend.

Special Judge Anju Meera Birla pronounced the verdict against Saddam Hussain alias Kichamani of Pandalam. The convict will have to undergo an additional three years and nine months of imprisonment if he fails to pay the fine.

The court further ordered that the collected fine, along with compensation from the District Legal Services Authority, be paid to the survivor.

According to the prosecution led by Special Public Prosecutor R.S. Vijay Mohan, the incident occurred around 7.45 a.m. on January 24, 2025, when the survivor and her younger brother were walking to school. The accused approached them on a two-wheeler and, posing as a friend of their father, he offered to drop them off at school and convinced the children to board the vehicle. After dropping off the younger brother midway, the perpetrator lured the girl to a shop under the guise of buying her chocolates.

He then took her to a secluded lane, subjected her to sexual assault, and threatened to kill her if she disclosed the ordeal to anyone. He then returned to pick up her brother and dropped them both off near the school.

The victim initially kept the incident a secret, deterred by fear of the convict’s death threats and apprehension that her family would scold her for accepting a ride from a stranger without permission. The crime finally came to light when a school friend noticed a drastic change in the survivor’s mental state and inquired about her well-being. This prompted the girl to confide in her friend, who promptly reported the matter at school. Subsequently, the Thumba police registered a case.

During the trial, the prosecution highlighted the accused’s criminal history. He apparently faces trial in a similar case before the same court and was previously convicted by a Karunagappally court for abusing a 12-year-old girl by showing her pornographic images. A copy of the prior judgment was submitted to the court by the prosecution as evidence of his repeated conduct.

The prosecution examined 31 witnesses, produced 41 documents, and presented eight material objects before the court.