Court sentences man to 18 years’ RI for raping minor girl

The Thiruvananthapuram Fast Track Special Court on Thursday sentenced one person to 18 years of rigorous imprisonment for sexually assaulting a minor girl inside an autorickshaw.

Special Judge Anju Meera Birla found the accused, Shameer alias Bombay Shameer, 37, of Kappil guilty of the crime. He was also ordered to pay a fine of ₹90,000, the default of which would lead to additional imprisonment for 21 months. The court also ruled that the fine amount should be given to the survivor. It also recommended the District Legal Services Authority to provide compensation to the survivor in light of her mental agony.

According to the prosecution led by Special Public Prosecutor R.S. Vijay Mohan, the incident occurred around 8 p.m. on February 24, 2023, when the 16-year-old girl had gone to the Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College Hospital as a bystander for her elder sister, who was undergoing treatment in the hospital.

The accused initially approached the girl while she was standing outside the hospital and asked for her mobile number. When she refused, Shameer forcibly grabbed her hand, took her phone, called his own number, and thus obtained her contact number. The child and her grandmother subsequently filed a complaint at the security office within the hospital premises.

Later, the accused called the girl and asked her to come outside. The girl went to confront him, the accused forcibly pushed her into an autorickshaw and drove away to an isolated area in Vanchiyoor, where he brutally raped her inside the vehicle. She was later abandoned at Thampanoor after Shameer realised that they were being pursued by two motorcyclists.

The case was investigated by Medical College circle inspector P. Harilal and sub-inspector A.L. Priya.