A Mahila Court here on Friday (July 24) sentenced a 21-year-old man to 20 years’ rigorous imprisonment for kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in 2025.

According to the prosecution, the Class 12 student went missing on March 6, 2025, following which her parents lodged a complaint with the police in Gobichettipalayam taluk. The girl returned home the next day and told the police that Lakshmanan had taken her to his house on the promise of marriage and sexually assaulted her. Based on her statement, the police registered a case under provisions relating to kidnapping and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and arrested him.

Delivering the verdict, Mahila Court Judge C. Sornakumar found Lakshmanan guilty and sentenced him to 20 years’ rigorous imprisonment for the offence under the POCSO Act and three years’ rigorous imprisonment for kidnapping. The court imposed a fine of ₹2,000 and directed that the sentences run concurrently.

The court also recommended that the State government provide ₹1 lakh as compensation to the survivor under the victim compensation scheme. Special Public Prosecutor M. Jayanthi appeared for the prosecution.