A fine of Rs 5,000 has also been imposed on the accused. (Representational)
A 51-year-old man was convicted and sentenced to 20 years' rigorous imprisonment by the Mahila Court in Erode on Wednesday for sexually assaulting a four-year-old girl.
Veerasamy of Gatepudur near Modakurichi, a widower daily-wage worker, while walking near his house on December 30, 2021 saw a four-year-old girl, took her to an isolated place and sexually assaulted her, the case file said. When the child raised a cry, the man left her and ran away.
The child informed her parents, who took her to a hospital where she underwent treatment.
Two days later, on January 1, 2022, the parents filed a complaint against Veerasamy with the All Women Police Station in Erode, who after investigation arrested the man and registered a case under POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012) against him.
On Wednesday evening, Erode Mahila Court Judge R Malathi sentenced the convict Veerasamy to 20 years' rigorous imprisonment, and imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 on him.
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