KOTTAYAM: The Additional District Court sentenced a man to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs 2.5 lakh for brutally molesting a 15-year-old girl at a Holobricks field in Ayarkunnam. The accused later tortured her to death and buried her.

Judge Sanu S Panicker sentenced Manarcadu Areeparambu native Ajesh CT in the case of brutally molesting the girl to death. The victim was the daughter of Ajesh’s best friend. The sentence includes 35 years imprisonment under section 302 for murder, 20 years rigorous imprisonment under section 376 for rape and 20 years rigorous imprisonment under section 4 of the POCSO Act, 3 years for tampering with evidence and six months for wrongful detention. The sentence can be served concurrently.

The incident happened on January 17, 2019. Ajeesh used to frequent the girl's house and created a strong bonhomie with her over time. On the day of the incident, Ajesh telephoned the girl and threatened her by leaking her private photos. The girl was forced to reach the holobricks field as per instructions from Ajesh. The girl reached the place by auto rickshaw, but little did she know about the torture awaiting her.

After molesting her brutally, Ajesh killed the girl by lassoing her neck with a rope. The body was kept in a room in the Holobricks field and was buried in a nearby pit during the night. The girl's body was found during an investigation conducted by Ayarkunnam SI Anoop Jose on the complaint of the girl's relatives.

Circumstantial evidence turned crucial in the case where there were no eyewitnesses. The girl before leaving for the field cleverly informed her relatives to contact Ajesh if she did not return by 5 pm. The statement of the auto driver who brought the girl to the accused was also crucial. After the murder, Ajeesh chewed up the girl's SIM card. Interestingly, the saliva on the SIM card also turned crucial for the investigation.

Adv M N Pushkaran appeared for the prosecution. The prosecution felt dejected by the judgment and said more possibilities would be explored for handing higher punishment for the accused.