A court in Trichy has delivered a stern verdict, sentencing a 34-year-old man to a decade of rigorous imprisonment for the attempted rape and attempted murder of a minor girl in a harrowing 2021 incident.
The Horrific Attack on a Young Girl
On January 18, 2021, a 14-year-old girl was tending to goats near Vaiyampatti. The accused, identified as R Suresh from the Manapparai area, spotted the girl alone. He approached her under the false pretense of needing directions. In a sudden, violent turn, he covered her mouth, dragged her into nearby bushes, and attempted to sexually assault her.
The brave girl fought back and tried to scream for help. Fearing that her cries would alert someone, Suresh escalated his brutality. He grabbed a rock and hit her repeatedly on the head before fleeing the scene, leaving her grievously injured and unconscious.
Investigation and Arrest Under Pocso Act
Local residents later discovered the severely injured victim and rushed her to a hospital for emergency treatment. Following this, the survivor's father approached the Manapparai all-woman police station to file an official complaint.
The police launched an immediate investigation. Based on the description provided by the courageous young girl after she regained consciousness, authorities were able to identify and arrest the accused, R Suresh. He was formally charged under the stringent Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act and relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Court Delivers Justice and Imposes Sentence
On Tuesday, Judge D Shanmugapriya of the Trichy mahila court pronounced the verdict, convicting Suresh for his crimes. The court sentenced him to undergo 10 years of rigorous imprisonment for the charge of attempted murder. For the charge of attempted rape, he was sentenced to seven years of imprisonment.
The judge ordered that both prison terms be served concurrently, meaning the total effective sentence is 10 years behind bars. Additionally, the court imposed a fine of ₹20,000 on the convicted man.
Trichy Superintendent of Police S Selvanagarathinam praised the police team responsible for the investigation, commending them for their work which led to the successful conviction in this sensitive case.
