Thoothukudi schoolgirl sexual assault and murder case: Death sentence referred to HC

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The death sentence awarded by the Special Court for POCSO Act cases in Thoothukudi to Dharma Muneeswaran of Sayalkudi convicted in the sexual assault and murder case of a 17-year-old Class XII schoolgirl in the district has been referred to the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court.

A Division Bench of Justices N. Anand Venkatesh and K.K. Ramakrishnan was informed by the convict Dharma Muneeswaran who appeared through video conference from Madurai Central Prison that he had engaged a counsel to file an appeal against the trial court judgment. The court posted the matter for hearing to June 12.

The Class XII schoolgirl who had gone missing on the evening of March 10 in a scrub forest area around 250 metres from her residence in Vedanatham was found murdered the next day. Kulathur police recovered the body and sent it for post-mortem to Thoothukudi Government Medical College and Hospital.

The girl’s parents, relatives, and villagers staged a protest, demanding the arrest of the accused and appropriate action be taken against Kulathur and Vilathikulam police for failing to act in a timely manner.

Dharma Muneeswaran, who was arrested on March 19 in connection with the sexual assault and murder case, was sentenced to death by the trial court on May 25.