Kochi: In a historic verdict, the Aluva child murder accused Ashfaq Alam was sentenced to death by the Ernakulam POCSO court. The police team which completed the investigation in record time, and the prosecution which presented crucial evidence in court, played a major role in this case. This case is also unique because the trial was completed quickly and the accused was termed guilty on the 99th day after the crime. 

A 20-member team under the leadership of rural district police chief Vivek Kumar and consisting DySP P. Prasad and M.M Manjudas investigated the crime. F. Mohanraj, was the special public prosecutor for the case. He was involved in other high profile cases like the Uthra murder case, Vismaya case, murder of a foreign woman in Kovalam, among others. Mohanraj was able to achieve adequate punishment for the accused in all these cases.

This sentence will hopefully act as an exemplary lesson to child molesters across the world on the day that is dedicated to the children of the country. It is also noteworthy that the sentence in the Aluva case was pronounced on the 11th anniversary of the POCSO act coming into force in India.

The POCSO act (Protection of children from sexual offenses act) came into force on November 14, 2012. The act protects all persons under the age of 18 who are subject to sexual exploitation regardless of gender. As per the 2019 amendment to the act, those who abuse children under the age of 16 can be sentenced to death. 

After the enactment of the POCSO act, there have been major changes in the way child sexual abuse cases are dealt with. Special courts have been set up and trials completed with severe punishments being pronounced. The brutal sexual assault and murder of the 5-year-old migrant girl in Aluva and the death penalty awarded to the accused Ashfaq Alam becomes another page in the history of verdicts.