Child abuse and murder: Youth sentenced to death

Srivilliputtur, Tamil Nadu, Sep 29 (UNI) A paedophile charged with murdering a four-year-old boy in November 2003 at Vagaikulampatti village near Rajapalayam in Virudhunagar district has been convicted and awarded the capital punishment by a trial court here.

District and Sessions Judge Ramalingam found the accused, Senthil (27), guilty of all charges and held they had been proved beyond reasonable doubt. He awarded capital punishment as a deterrent.

The court also sentenced him to undergo 10 years RI under Sec 377 seven years RI under Sec 362, seven years SI under Sec 201 of the IPC and two years under Sec 379 of the IPC on various counts.

Describing child sex abuse as 'a grave crime against nature and divinity', the judge said this had to be wiped out from society. It challenged age-old customs and the culture of the land.

The prosecution said Senthil befriended two sons of his neighbour, and was sexually abusing the elder one. On November 30, 2003, he took both the boys to a tank bund on the village outskirts.

On seeing his brother being abused, the younger sibling raised an alarm.

Senthil strangled him and took the elder brother to Chennai. He returned to the village on December nine, 2003. The victim's father lodged a complaint and Senthil was arrested.

This was the second case in which a death penalty has been awarded in recent years. Earlier, a sessions court pronounced capital punishment on a rapist.

UNI CR AA AL VV1536