Fire destroys parked school buses in Thiruvananthapuram, sabotage suspected
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): A major fire broke out at a school ground near here in the small hours of Monday, destroying three parked school buses, police said here.
The incident occurred at around 2.45 am at the ground of a Higher Secondary School at Thundathil under Kazhakkoottam police station limits.
Three school buses were completely gutted in the fire, while another bus was partially damaged, police said.
Fire and rescue teams rushed to the area and brought the blaze under control after an operation that lasted about 30 minutes.
A tempo traveller was found close to the buses, raising suspicion of foul play, officials said.
However, it is not yet clear who drove the vehicle or how it reached the area where the buses were parked.
The school authorities and locals suspect that the fire may not have been accidental.
Police said they have begun an investigation to find out the exact cause of the fire.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Kerala court sentences 20-year-old man in minor girl rape case
Kollam (Kerala) (PTI): A Kerala court has sentenced a 20-year-old man to 21 years of imprisonment for raping a minor girl after befriending her on a social media app.
Karunagappally Fast Track Special Court judge Rajeevan Vachal sentenced the convict to 21 years under the relevant provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, special public prosecutor (SPP) N C Premchandran said.
The court also imposed a fine of Rs 1.1 lakh on the convict, the prosecutor said.
The incident occurred in 2024 when the accused befriended her on a social media app and then offered to take her to the Azheekal beach here.
However, instead of taking her to the beach, he took her to an isolated place behind the CHC hospital at Mynagappally here and raped her, the SPP said.
Following the incident, the girl attempted suicide, but was saved and then told the doctors what had happened, the prosecutor said.
The hospital authorities informed the police, who registered a case and launched an investigation.
The prosecutor said that seven witnesses were examined and 20 documents were submitted before the court to substantiate the guilt of the accused.
