The Mahila Court here on Wednesday (June 17, 2026) sentenced a 70-year-old man to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for sexually assaulting a six-year-old girl near Perundurai in 2023.

According to the prosecution, the accused, Arumugam, was engaged in goat rearing. In 2023, he allegedly lured the Class I student to a goat shed after offering her sweets and committed the crime. The girl’s parents, alerted by her cries, rushed to the spot and rescued her.

Based on a complaint lodged by the parents, the Perundurai police registered a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and arrested the accused. The case came up for trial before the Mahila Court in Erode. After examining the witnesses and evidence, Judge C. Sornakumar found the accused guilty and sentenced him to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment. The court also imposed a fine of ₹5,000. The judge further directed the State government to provide compensation of ₹2 lakh to the child survivor under the victim compensation fund.