Friday, February 3, 2012

Feb 3, 2012: Daughter rapist caged for 10 years

TNN | Feb 3, 2012, 03.34AM IST
CHENNAI: In the weekend ahead of Pongal in 2010, 10-year-old Meena (name changed) and her brother, a year older than her, expected to go shopping for new clothes. They were in for a rude shock as their father L Dushyanthan (40), a resident of Althottam in the city, sexually abused his daughter during this period; once in the presence of his son.

Now, he has been found guilty of child rape, criminal intimidation, voluntarily causing hurt and sentenced to 10 years' rigorous imprisonment by R Sethumadhavan, sessions judge, Mahalir Court. He directed that Rs 30,000 be given to the victim from the Rs 30,500 fine imposed on the accused. Additional public prosecutor Gowri Asokan appeared for the state.

The incidents occurred after Dushyanthan's wife Bhuvaneshwari, a domestic help, left him to live in her mother's house at Mettupalayam. She had taken their daughter along.

Bhuvaneshwari said she was unable to cooperate with Dushyanthan as he wouldn't contribute towards the family's upkeep, would often come home drunk and beat her up. He was in the habit of indulging in frequent sexual intercourse, she said.

On January 2, he came to her mother's house saying he wanted to buy new dresses for the children and asked if he could take their daughter with him. After reaching Chennai, he sent his son out to buy tea, locked the door and raped his daughter. Later at night, he raped her again even as his son was sleeping next to him. He threatened the children with harm if they spoke of it to anyone.

Four days later, Meena told Rekha, a relative, about the incidents and was taken to Bhuvaneswari who found bruises, reddishness and blood in the girl's genital region. A case was lodged at the Anna Salai police station.

Observing that it was clear the father had stooped low to satisfy his physical urges, the judge added that Meena's narration of the events was "natural, credit-worthy, corroborated by other witnesses, and further by medical evidence." Concluding that it proved Dushyanthan had raped her, sessions judge R Sethumadhavan said, "this court is not inclined to show any sympathy to the accused," before passing orders on the matter.

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