Tirunelveli POCSO court awards death penalty to father for raping minor daughter

Tirunelveli: In a rare and stringent verdict aimed at deterring sexual crimes against children, a special POCSO court in Tirunelveli has awarded the death penalty to a man for repeatedly raping his own 14-year-old daughter and impregnating her.

The judgment comes after DNA evidence conclusively proved that the accused was the biological father of the child born to the minor victim. The case pertains to a resident of the Panagudi area in Tirunelveli district, who worked as a daily wage labourer.

The accused had two wives, and the victim was the younger daughter from his second marriage. At the time of the offence, the girl was studying in Class 10.

According to the prosecution, the accused sexually assaulted the minor multiple times during 2024, taking advantage of situations when no other family members were present at home.

The crime came to light in January 2025 when the girl’s mother noticed significant physical changes and took her to a hospital for medical examination. Doctors confirmed that the minor was five months pregnant, triggering shock and immediate legal action.

During counselling and inquiry, the victim disclosed that her father had been sexually abusing her for several months. Following this revelation, the mother lodged a complaint at the Valliyur Women Police Station.

The police registered a case under relevant sections of the IPC and the POCSO Act, arrested the accused, and conducted a detailed investigation, including forensic examination and DNA analysis.

The DNA test report confirmed that the accused was the biological father of the child delivered by the minor during the pendency of the trial. The prosecution argued that the offence constituted aggravated penetrative sexual assault and represented a gross betrayal of parental trust.

While pronouncing the judgment, POCSO Special Court Judge Suresh Kumar observed that the crime was extremely heinous and had caused irreversible physical and psychological harm to the victim.

The court noted that the accused had violated his fundamental duty as a parent and exploited the child’s vulnerability. Considering the repeated nature of the offence and its devastating impact, the court ruled that the case fell under the “rarest of rare” category and warranted the maximum punishment under law.

The court also took note of the victim’s and her mother’s plea for stringent punishment. Notably, this is the second instance in recent weeks where the Tirunelveli POCSO court has awarded the death penalty in an incest rape case, highlighting growing judicial custody.

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