PMK functionary among five awarded double life-term for rape, murder of girl

According to the prosecution, the five persons – Boopathi, Anand Babu, Anandan, Balakrishnan and Prabhakaran – kidnapped the victim when she was asleep at her house at Vazhapadi on the night of February 14, 2014. Of them, Boopathi was a PMK councillor from Sendrayampalayam panchayat. As there was no door in the house, the accused persons gained entry under the influence of alcohol, took the girl to a hilltop and gang-raped her resulting in her death. They then smeared sacred ash on her face and hung the body in a tree to make it appear like a human sacrifice. However, a post-mortem examination revealed the sexual assault and several injuries on her body.

Based on a complaint from the girl’s father, the Vazhapadi police arrested the five persons under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act and also booked them for kidnap, gang-rape and murder. The family of the victim left the village and settled down elsewhere following the incident.

On hearing the case, Mahila Court Judge R Vijaya Kumari awarded double life, besides varying terms of imprisonment on different counts of crime. The sentences would run concurrently. A fine amount of Rs 5,000 was also imposed failing which the five persons would undergo five more months of imprisonment.