Kannur: A madrasa teacher from Kannur has been sentenced to 187 years in prison for sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Taliparamba POCSO court pronounced the verdict, convicting Muhammed Rafi, a native of Alakode. The court also imposed a fine of ₹9 lakh.

According to police, the assaults took place between 2020 and 2021. The accused allegedly gained the trust of the girl by showing her a ring and then committed the offence. At the time, he was residing near Pappinisseri, though his permanent residence is near Udayagiri in Alakode. The case falls under the jurisdiction of the Pazhayangadi police station.

The court took into account that Rafi had previously been involved in another case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. That case was registered with the Valapattanam police. After securing bail in the earlier case, he reportedly committed the crime once again.