Bengaluru court sentences TN man for molesting minor on flight


A fast-track special court has sentenced a 51-year-old man from Tamil Nadu to three years of imprisonment for sexually harassing a minor girl during a Doha-Bengaluru flight.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on Ammawasai Murugesan.

The incident took place on June 27, 2023, when Murugesan, under the influence of alcohol, inappropriately touched the minor girl while on the flight. The girl’s mother objected to his actions, after which flight attendants changed their seats.

Upon landing, the girl’s father reported the matter to Kempegowda International Airport police, leading to Murugesan’s arrest under Section 8 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. He was granted bail on July 27, 2023.