THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A court has sentenced the accused to five years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10000 for molesting a 10-year-old girl. Baiju (41), a native of Ayiroor, was convicted by the fast-track special court in Thiruvananthapuram. The court also ruled that the accused would have to spend an additional three months in jail if he fails to pay the fine.

The incident took place on August 13, 2021. The accused had bought food from the child's house. The incident took place when the girl went to the accused's house to take back the food containers. Later, the girl disclosed the incident to her family and the family lodged a complaint with the police. The court also clarified that if the fine is collected, it should be handed over to the child.