TIRUNELVELI: A Pocso court in Tirunelveli has sentenced a 43-year-old man to death for impregnating his daughter, after DNA tests confirmed his involvement.
The man, a woodcutter from Tirunelveli district, has two wives. He lived with his second wife and their three children, including the 15-year-old survivor, who had dropped out of school after Class 8. With both parents away at work, the girl handled household chores.
In February 2025, she developed sudden health complications and was taken to a nearby hospital, where doctors found her to be five months pregnant. When questioned, the girl said her father was responsible. It later emerged he had been sexually abusing her for two years.
Based on a complaint from the mother, the Valliyoor All Women Police Station registered a Pocso case. Then, Inspector Sivakala arrested the accused, while Inspector Gowri Manohari filed the chargesheet.
The girl later suffered a miscarriage, and tissue samples sent for DNA testing confirmed the father's involvement in a report issued on October 10, 2025.
The Tirunelveli Pocso Special Court conducted the trial, and during the final hearing yesterday, judge Sureshkumar pronounced the death sentence. The accused was produced under tight police security.
Calling the abuse "unacceptable", the judge noted that the girl had been assaulted repeatedly and that the mother and daughter had sought the maximum punishment. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 and directed the Tamil Nadu government to provide Rs 10 lakh in compensation to the survivor's family.
Government advocate Usha appeared for the prosecution. Tirunelveli Superintendent of Police Prasannakumar commended the police for their swift action in securing a conviction.