Mumbai, January 15: A Pocso court judge, refusing to show leniency, has sentenced a 43-year-old man to three-year imprisonment for sexually harassing his teen neighbour. The man harassed the girl by singing "chehra tera noorani hai" (your face is luminous) and repeatedly attempted personal interaction with her despite her clear indication of disinterest in him.
TOI reported that the man had also slapped the girl when she was on her way to police station with her mother to file a complaint in 2017. Chennai: Drunk Man Tries to Harass, Hug Woman on Train, Gets Thrashed by Commuters; Video Goes Viral.
In her judgement, Priya Bankar, special Pocso court judge said that being a neighbour, the accused knew the victim was a minor. He was a mature man with family. Even looking at the age difference between the two, his act was absolutely unjustifiable. Hyderabad Shocker: Four Harass Engineering Girl Students by Adding Them to WhatsApp Groups and Morphing Their Pictures; Arrested.
Among the witnesses who deposed were the girl and her mother. On March 12, 2017, at about 2pm, the girl was on her way to her aunt’s house to give a mobile phone to her mother when he followed her singing.
Once she reached her aunt’s place, she asked the man why he was following her, resulting in an argument between the two. Her mother and aunt rushed out on hearing the noise. When the girl’s mother suggested that they go to police station, the accused was annoyed.
The man repeatedly attempted to stop them from going to cops. When they opposed it, he slapped the minor. When the mother and aunt intervened, the accused assaulted both. The minor then went to the police station and brought cops to the spot and the man was nabbed. Even before that incident, he would follow the girl and sing songs looking at her.
Convicting the accused, the special judge said as the then 38-year-old accused was following the minor and singing, it showed his sexual intent.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 15, 2023 11:20 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).