Vellore fort gang-rape case: Two men get life imprisonment; one gets five years jail term

A 24-year-old woman was gang-raped near the Vellore fort in 2020 

The Fast Track Mahila Court in Vellore on Wednesday convicted and sentenced two persons to life imprisonment and one to a five-year jail term in a gang rape case that happened near the Vellore fort in 2020.

Judge C. Kalaiponni delivered the verdict, sentencing G. Manikandan, alias Ada Mani (43) and M. Sakthivel, alias Kozhi (21) to life imprisonment with a fine of ₹25,000 each and K. Marimuthu (33), alias Koyyamari, to five years in jail with a fine of ₹5000.

A juvenile was also involved in the crime. According to police, on January 18, 2020, a 24-year-old woman was gang-raped by three men in a public park in front of the Vellore fort, after she was threatened at knife-point. Her 20-year-old male friend, who had accompanied her was beaten up and chased away. The woman and her friend had entered the park around 9 p.m, after its closing time. The park only had a two-feet fence and it was common for people to loiter around after closing hours, police said. Around 9.30 p.m, the three men spotted the woman and her friend and started to harass them. After chasing away her friend, they raped the woman and took away her phone and jewellery, police said. Upon returning home, she told her brother about her lost jewellery and phone. Her brother took her to the hospital, where she narrated the incident to the doctors, who then alerted the police.

Based on a complaint by the survivor, the Vellore North police had filed a case. Investigation Officer K. Punitha and her team launched a probe into the case on January 20, 2020. Police arrested all three accused and the juvenile, and had filed a charge sheet on February 5, 2020. Manikandan and Sakthivel were convicted under IPC section 368 (wrongfully concealing or keeping in confinement, a kidnapped or an abducted person), 392 (robbery), 376D (gang rape), and 109 (abetment). Marimuthu was convicted under IPC section 368 (wrongfully concealing or keeping in confinement, a kidnapped or an abducted person).

Later in the day, Vellore SP S. Rajesh Kannan honoured the investigation team with certificates of appreciation.