Neighbour jailed for sexually assaulting boy

Chennai: A man was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Monday for sexually assaulting an 11-year-old boy who lived in his neighbourhood.During the Covid-19 pandemic, the boy was playing near his home when M Prasanth, 23, threatened him with a broken beer bottle and led him to a secluded spot, where he assaulted the child. The boy managed to escape and rushed to a group of college students, who he knew. The students, aged between 25 and 30, caught Prasanth and handed him over to police.The boy's mother filed a complaint at the Old Washermenpet All Women Police Station, and Prasanth was arrested on Sept 26, 2020. He was charged under Section 6 of the Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and relevant sections of IPC. "The testimony of the college students, along with the child's statement, played a crucial role in securing the conviction," said special public prosecutor S Anitha.Sessions Judge M Rajalakshmi also ordered the state to pay 3 lakh in compensation to the victim, in addition to a 5,000 fine to be paid by the convict.In a separate case heard in the same Pocso court last week, a 43-year-old man was sentenced to three years rigorous imprisonment for sexually assaulting a girl in his neighbourhood. According to the complaint filed by the girl's mother, she woke up in the early hours of Dec 10, 2021, and found her daughter missing. After alerting her husband, they searched the area and found their daughter around 3.30am, coming down from the first floor of a nearby shop with the convict, S Ramachandran.Upon questioning, the child said Ramachandran assaulted her multiple times and warned her against disclosing it to anyone. Police arrested him two days later.