Kerala BJP leader gets life-till-death sentence in Palathayi POCSO case
Kannur: A POCSO Special Court in Thalassery on Friday sentenced BJP leader and schoolteacher K. Padmarajan, also known as Pappan Master, to life imprisonment until his natural death for repeatedly sexually assaulting a 10-year-old Muslim student in 2020.
The verdict came a day after the court convicted Padmarajan in the Palathayi child sexual abuse case. In addition to the life-till-death sentence, the court imposed two separate 20-year rigorous imprisonment terms under aggravated penetrative sexual assault provisions of the POCSO Act. He was fined a total of ₹2 lakh, with an additional year of imprisonment if the amount is not paid.
Padmarajan, a 49-year-old former BJP panchayat president and district leader of a Sangh-affiliated teachers’ organisation, had been working as a teacher at the school where the survivor studied. The investigation revealed that the assault took place multiple times, including inside the school toilet and at a private residence.
The case first surfaced in March 2020 after Childline alerted the Thalassery police. A formal complaint followed on March 18, and Padmarajan was arrested nearly a month later.
The initial probe by Kannur police booked him under IPC Section 376 and POCSO Sections 5 and 6. However, the case later faced major interference, with senior police officers accused of attempting to weaken it by focusing on minor inconsistencies in the child’s statement. At one point, POCSO charges were dropped entirely, and the Crime Branch filed a diluted chargesheet under lesser IPC and Juvenile Justice Act provisions, sparking statewide protests.
Public outrage intensified, and the survivor’s mother approached the Kerala High Court expressing concern about political influence on the investigation. The turning point came when a new investigating officer conducted a detailed scientific inquiry and restored the POCSO charges after evidence, including blood traces from the school restroom, was recovered.
The prosecution argued that the nature of the crime demanded the harshest punishment, stressing the severity of the child’s trauma and the violation of trust by a teacher. The court rejected the defence claim that the case was fabricated and refused leniency, stating that the cruelty inflicted by a person in a guardian-like role warranted exemplary punishment.
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Elephant calf brought from Bijnor kept under care at Pilibhit Tiger Reserve
Pilibhit (PTI): A 19-day-old elephant calf, brought from Bijnor, was placed under care at the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR) on Sunday, an official said and added that the calf got separated from its mother in the forest area of Bijnor.
The calf was born on December 2 in the Bijnor forest area and got separated from its mother shortly after birth, the official said.
The forest department made several attempts to reunite it with its mother, but without any success. To ensure the calf's safety and better care, it was decided to transfer it to the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve on the instructions of senior officials.
On Saturday, Deputy Director Manish Singh received the calf. Special arrangements have been made in the reserve for its care. It has been kept in a safe and clean environment to provide it with a natural setting and protect it from external noise and disturbances.
Singh told reporters that raising an 19-day-old calf is challenging.
It requires a special diet as a substitute for mother's milk and constant monitoring.
He said a special team has been formed to provide 24-hour care. Since the calf is very young, it is being cared for like a newborn baby.
According to Singh, the primary responsibility for monitoring the calf's health has been entrusted to PTR's veterinarian, Dr Daksh Gangwar. Under his supervision, a complete record of the calf's health checkups, diet, and body temperature is being maintained. The team is ensuring that the calf does not contract any infection.
