Mangaluru: An Additional District and Sessions Court has sentenced 20-year-old Abu Tahir, also known as Kajil, to 20 years in prison for the sexual assault of a minor girl at the Mangaluru railway station. The ruling was delivered on October 28, following a trial that examined the case in detail.
According to court documents, Abu Tahir, a resident of Nehru Nagar in Kasba village, had been in contact with the victim prior to the incident. In June 2023, he lured the girl to Mangaluru under the pretense of a trip to Goa. On June 22, he forcibly took her to Mangaluru Central Railway Station, where he assaulted her inside a non-existent coach of the Mangaluru-Madgaon train.
The victim’s mother had reported her missing to the Punjalakatte police. At approximately 12 PM, the girl managed to call her mother from the railway station, prompting the mother to inform the authorities. The police quickly responded, rescuing the girl and apprehending the accused.
The investigation, led by former Punjalakatte Police Circle Inspector Shivakumar B. and officer Nagesh K., culminated in a comprehensive chargesheet against Tahir. During the trial, the court heard testimonies from 17 witnesses and examined 31 pieces of evidence.
In addition to the 20-year prison sentence, the court imposed a fine of Rs 60,000 on the accused, of which Rs 50,000 is to be paid to the victim. Under the victims’ compensation scheme, the District Legal Services Authority is also directed to provide an additional compensation of Rs 1.5 lakh to the victim. Special Public Prosecutor K. Badrinath Nair represented the prosecution in the case.
The verdict is seen as a significant step towards justice for the victim and serves as a reminder of the legal system’s commitment to addressing crimes against minors.
