Tirunelveli POCSO Court Awards Four Death Sentences to Preacher for Sexual Assault

A special Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) court in Tirunelveli has awarded four death sentences to a 47-year-old preacher for sexually assaulting four minor girls.

Preacher S Abraham ran a Christian prayer church at Mela Ilanthaikulam near Gangaikondan Thevarkulam in Tirunelveli district. According to the prosecution, the victims, aged 8, 12, and 13, were lured onto the church premises under the guise of attending moral science and Bible classes during their school vacation.

After committing the offences, Abraham threatened the four girls with dire consequences if they disclosed the abuse. He was arrested on July 5, 2022, following complaints lodged by the victims' parents with the Tirunelveli Rural All Women Police.

When the case came up for hearing on Thursday, Special Court Judge K Suresh Kumar pronounced the capital punishment after finding the accused guilty beyond reasonable doubt. The judge classified the offence under the "rarest of rare" category.

The court awarded four death sentences—one count for each victim—along with a cumulative fine of Rs 52,000. In the verdict, the judge observed that Abraham preyed on the very children he was expected to guide and showed no genuine remorse for his actions.

In addition to the sentencing, the court directed the Tamil Nadu government to provide compensation of Rs 10 lakh to each of the four survivors.