Thiruvananthapuram: A fast-track court in Kerala has sentenced a 20-year-old man from Chala to 63 years of rigorous imprisonment and fined him ₹55,000 for sexually assaulting and impregnating a 14-year-old girl. The sentence was handed down by Judge Anju Meera Birla, who directed that the fine be paid to the victim. Failure to pay will result in an additional three years and six months in prison.

The incident, which led to the conviction, occurred in November 2022. The accused had developed a relationship with the girl, then a Class 8 student, and lured her to an abandoned building near her home, where he assaulted her. The girl later became pregnant, and the abuse came to light when she was taken to hospital. Medical staff alerted the police, and an abortion was carried out in consideration of her age and safety. DNA testing confirmed the accused as the biological father.

The man had previously faced charges in juvenile court for sexually assaulting the same girl. Even during on his bail period in the rape case, he went on to assault her again. According to investigators, he abducted the girl and took her to another deserted house in Manacaud, where he raped and physically assaulted her. That case remains under trial.

Special Public Prosecutor R S Vijaya Mohan represented the prosecution, and Fort Circle Inspector J Rakesh led the investigation and filed the charge-sheet.