Prisoner convicted under Pocso dies of ill-health

Trichy: A 71-year-old man who was serving jail term at Trichy Central Prison, for sexually harassing a child, passed away at the general hospital on Wednesday following illness.M Palanivel, a resident of Thiruverumbur in Trichy district, was arrested in 2021. He was booked under the Pocso Act. In Dec 2024, a court found him guilty and sentenced him to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment.Palanivel had been suffering from multiple health conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, and complications related to old age.On Tuesday, his condition deteriorated inside the prison, prompting the authorities to admit him to the general hospital. He died in the early hours of Wednesday.A case was registered late on Wednesday night under Section 194 of the BNSS (relating to unnatural death).A judicial magistrate visited the hospital to conduct an inquest into the circumstances of the death.