Man gets life term for sexually assaulting stepdaughter near Pollachi

The Special Court for the trial of cases registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, Coimbatore, on Thursday sentenced a man to undergo life imprisonment for sexually assaulting his nine-year-old stepdaughter. Special court judge G. Kulasekaran awarded the punishment to a 35-year-old man who hails from a village near Thippampatti near Pollachi.

According to the police, the convict had married the girl’s mother after she was separated from her first husband. The girl was under the care of her grandmother following the demise of her mother.

The man sexually assaulted the girl in the absence of her grandmother on various occasions between December 1, 2018 and April 5, 2019. The sexual assault came to light during a counselling session arranged by the school authorities after teachers found her depressed and disinterested in studies.

An official from the District Child Protection Unit, who counselled the girl, lodged a complaint with the All Women Police Station, Pollachi, based on which a case was registered. The man was arrested for offences under Sections 5 (l) (whoever commits penetrative sexual assault on the child more than once or repeatedly), (m) (whoever commits penetrative sexual assault on a child below twelve years), (n) whoever being a relative of the child through blood or adoption or marriage or guardianship or in foster care or having a domestic relationship with a parent of the child or who is living in the same or shared household with the child, commits penetrative sexual assault on such child), 6 (Punishment for aggravated penetrative sexual assault) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act read with 506 (1) (criminal intimidation) of the IPC.

The court, after the completion of the trial, awarded life imprisonment and a fine of ₹10,000 to the man. It also ordered the government to pay a compensation of ₹5 lakh to the survivor.