Rowdy gets death sentence in Nellaii gang rape case

Tirunelveli, Sept 9:

A 28-year-old rowdy was sentenced to death by a special POCSO court in Tirunelveli for the gang rape of a Class XII student in 2022. Two other men convicted in the case were sentenced to 20 and 13 years in prison respectively.

The incident occurred on October 10, 2022, after Muniswaran, then 26, allegedly befriended the student while working at a church in Tirunelveli. He allegedly promised to marry her, took her on his motorcycle to a secluded area in Palayamkottai’s Veeraraghavapuram and sexually assaulted her. Two other men arrived at the spot, photographed the student and threatened to circulate the images online before sexually assaulting her.

Police registered a case and arrested Chinnakutty, 28, Murugesan, 23, and Muniswaran. Chinnakutty and Murugesan, residents of Kokirakulam-Keelaveeraraghavapuram in Tirunelveli, were already being monitored as rowdies by the Melapalayam police. The case was subsequently tried by the Tirunelveli district POCSO special court.

Judge Sureshkumar had found all three guilty last week and pronounced the sentences on Tuesday. Chinnakutty was awarded the death penalty and fined Rs 12,000, while Murugesan was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment and fined Rs 10,000. Muniswaran was sentenced to 13 years in prison and fined Rs 10,000. The judge has so far awarded death sentences to 10 convicts in various cases, including sexual offences against minors and murder cases.