CHENNAI: A life term has been awarded to biryani vendor Gnanasekaran (37), for sexually abusing a 19-year-old girl at the Anna University. A fine of Rs 90,000 was also imposed on him. The accused sexually abused the student in December 2024.

Judge M Rajalakshmi ordered that the accused must remain in jail for at least 30 years. The court also said that no mercy should be shown to Gnanasekaran. He was found guilty on all 11 charges including sexual assault, rape, intimidation and kidnapping. The court examined the statements of 29 witnesses. The police filed a 100-page charge sheet.
The defense argued for a lesser sentence as there was no one else to look after his elderly mother and eight-year-old daughter. However, after being found guilty, the court ordered maximum sentence for him.

A second-year engineering student was raped while she was returning to the hostel with her friend at 8 pm on December 23, 2024. He had also filmed the act with an intention to blackmail her. After attacking her male friend, the accused dragged and abused her. The accused was arrested by the police on the same day of the incident.