Kasaragod: A fast-track special court in Kasaragod sentenced a coconut plucker to 107 years of rigorous imprisonment for repeatedly sexually assaulting a 10-year-old boy.

Special Judge Ramu Ramesh Chandra Bhanu, on May 6, found Jagannathan (41), alias Jagan, of Kudlu village in Kasaragod, guilty of four counts of aggravated sexual assault and one count of trafficking of a minor.

The court also slapped a fine of ₹4.5 lakh on him under the five charges. If the fine is not paid, he will have to serve an additional 18 months of rigorous imprisonment, said Special Public Prosecutor Adv AK Priya.

Jagannathan used to work as a day labourer at the house of the survivor's relative. He exploited his proximity to the boy's parents, who were also daily wage labourers.

He groomed the boy and manipulated his trust before subjecting him to repeated sexual assaults between August 2020 and September 26, 2020, said the prosecution. The boy, unaware of the abuse due to his young age and innocence, suffered in silence.

The crime came to light when the boy’s younger sister overheard him use a disturbing phrase -- a "play word" taught by his abuser -- while they were playing.

She shared it with their mother, whose intuition prompted her to investigate further. The mother gently uncovered the harrowing truth of her son's abuse by Jagannathan, the prosecution said. The boy later confided his ordeal to Childline counsellors.

Acting on the boy’s statement, the Kasaragod Town Police arrested Jagannathan. The investigation was led by the then Station House Officer, Inspector P Rajesh.

Special Judge Ramu Ramesh Chandra Bhanu sentenced Jagannathan to 40 years of rigorous imprisonment for aggravated penetrative sexual assault on a child below 12 years under Section 5(m) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, and an additional 40 years of rigorous imprisonment for repeated aggravated penetrative sexual assault on a minor under Section 5(l) of the POCSO Act.

The court also imposed 10 years of rigorous imprisonment for unnatural sexual assault under Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 10 years of rigorous imprisonment for trafficking a minor for exploitation under Section 370(4) of the IPC, and 7 years of rigorous imprisonment for exploiting a trafficked person under Section 370A(1) of the IPC. As the sentences will run concurrently, Jagannathan will serve a total of 40 years in prison, said Special Public Prosecutor Priya. 

Jagannathan’s elder brother was also convicted of sexually assaulting another boy, revealing a disturbing pattern of abuse within the family.