Santhosh Kumar, a 56-year-old school teacher accused of sexually abusing a child with autism in Thiruvananthapuram in 2019, was sentenced to 161 years of rigorous imprisonment and charged a fine of Rs 87,000. He was found guilty under multiple sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) by a Fast Track Special Court in Thiruvananthapuram on January 31.
Judge Anju Meera Birla issued the sentence after hearing the accused, who pleaded leniency on account of his having been a teacher for many years and a family to take care of, as well as the Public Prosecutor who pleaded for maximum punishment taking into account the mental state and age of the child. Santhosh Kumar will need to serve 20 years in prison, since the multiple sentences will run concurrently.
"I believe justice is served. The survivor is a child with autism and the attack on him happened at a time he was responding to the treatment that his family had sought at an institute in Thiruvananthapuram. They had come from Kannur so that he could attend this institute. But the sexual assault on the child worsened his condition," said Public Prosecutor Vijaya Mohan.
Santhosh Kumar was found guilty of sexually abusing the child, who was 10 at the time, in the school premises. His mother had noticed that he had suddenly become hyperactive, sleepless and uninterested in food. In July 2019, he spoke about the sexual assault to his speech therapist and his mother. A case was registered under the POCSO Act by the Sreekaryam Police.