E-Paper
Chandigarh: Tuition teacher gets 20-year jail for raping Class-9 student
In the first week of April 2019, when the Class-9 student had gone for class, there was no one else there, and the tuition teacher allegedly touched her inappropriately. When she raised the alarm, he gagged her and raped her. He later threatened to beat her up if she told anyone about the rape.
A fast-track special court has awarded 20-year rigorous imprisonment to a 28-year-old man for raping and impregnating a Class-9 government school student who used to take tuitions from him.
In the first week of April 2019, when she had gone for class, there was no one else there, and the accused allegedly touched her inappropriately. When she raised the alarm, he gagged her and raped her. He later threatened to beat her up if she told anyone about the rape.
Scared, the girl stayed mum. But about a month later, her parents took her to a hospital as she wasn’t feeling well. It was then that her pregnancy had come to the fore, following which the she revealed to her parents that the tuition teacher had raped her.
A case against the tuition teacher was registered at the Sector 31 police station on May 6, 2019, and he was arrested.
Accused pleads for leniency
Post conviction, the tuition teacher pleaded for leniency, citing that he has no past criminal record and that he needs to take care of his parents, who are old and ailing. He also said that as soon as he comes out of jail, he will marry the victim.
The court observed, “Sexual assault on minor children is a gross blatant violation of their fundamental, constitutional and human rights. Such kind of sexual assault is not against an individual, but a grave crime against the entire society. The victim, being a child younger than 16 years, is a blooming bud who is sexually abused on account of the accused’s lust which is triggered by his contaminated mindset. Such wicked act on part of the accused needs to be meted out with punishment of exacting nature,” before sentencing the accused.
The accused was sentenced to 20-year rigorous imprisonment and fined ₹30,000, under Section 376 (3) (rape on a woman under sixteen years of age) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The court has also recommended that in accordance with provisions of Section 33 (8) of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act read with Rule 7, the case is recommended for award of compensation to the tune of ₹4 lakh by the district legal services authority, Chandigarh, under the victim compensation scheme.
