Pathanamthitta (Kerala), Apr 11 (PTI) A court here on Friday sentenced a man to life imprisonment for raping a 19-year-old COVID-19 patient while she was being transported to a first-line treatment centre near here in 2020.

The quantum of punishment was pronounced by the Principal Sessions Court. It had convicted Noufal, 29, who hails from Kayamkulam, on Thursday.

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The court also imposed a fine of Rs 2,12,000 on the convict.

The shocking incident allegedly took place at midnight on September 5, 2020, when the people of the country were living in the fear of COVID-19.

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Hailing the verdict, investigating officers said that collecting evidence in the case was a highly complicated task due to the alarming spread of the virus in the state at the time.

However, the police managed to gather all the necessary evidence and ensured a proper sentence for the accused, they added.

The assault occurred in a deserted area of Aranmula while the victim was being taken from Adoor General Hospital to the COVID centre in Pandalam.

The incident came to light when the survivor recounted the harrowing experience to medical personnel upon arriving at the treatment facility.

Acting swiftly on her statement, the police apprehended Noufal and placed him under arrest.

The incident sparked widespread public outcry across the state, with many criticising the health authorities for sending a female patient alone in the ambulance.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)