Man sentenced to 47 years RI for unnatural sexual assault of 15-year-old

Thiruvananthapuram: The Thiruvananthapuram Fast Track Special Court has sentenced a 43-year-old man to 47 years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of ₹32,000 for sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy who was his relative.

The court, presided over by Judge Anju Meera Birla, sentenced the man to imprisonment under various provisions of POCSO. In default of payment of the fine, he will have to undergo an additional three years and three months in prison.

The incident took place on May 24, 2025. According to the prosecution, the man asked the boy, who was also his neighbour, to bring rice to feed chickens at his house. When the boy arrived, the man took him inside and sexually assaulted him. The incident occurred when no one else was at the house. When someone arrived during the assault, the man allegedly locked the boy inside a room and stepped outside. The boy's grandfather also came looking for him, but the man allegedly told him that the boy had already left.

The boy did not initially reveal the assault out of fear. Later, when his family asked him to deliver something to the accused's house, he refused. After being questioned about his refusal, the boy disclosed the assault to his sister.

Although some relatives reportedly advised against approaching the police as the accused was a family member, the boy's mother insisted on filing a complaint. She subsequently approached the Valiyathura police, who registered a case and investigated the incident. The prosecution examined 16 witnesses and produced 16 documents and three material evidence before the court.

Special Public Prosecutors Adv RS Vijay Mohan and Adv Surabhi P represented the prosecution. Valiyathura police station Sub-Inspectors Prakash R and Arun S conducted the investigation.