Teacher sentenced to life imprisonment for raping student dismissed from service
Kannur (Kerala) (PTI): Kerala General Education Minister V Sivankutty on Sunday said that a teacher who was also a BJP activist, sentenced by a court to life imprisonment for raping a student in Palathayi here, has been dismissed from service.
Thalassery Fast Track Special Court Judge Jalarajani M T sentenced Padmarajan K, also known as Pappen Master (48) and a resident of Kadavathoor, to life imprisonment after finding him guilty under various sections and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act on November 15.
Sivankutty said on his Facebook page that the manager of the school where Padmarajan worked has issued an order dismissing him from service.
Following the court verdict, the General Education Department had directed the school management to initiate disciplinary action.
According to the prosecution, Padmarajan sexually assaulted the 10-year-old student in the toilet of the educational institution and at his residence.
Panoor police registered a case on March 17, 2020, and arrested the accused on April 15.
The BJP had alleged that the case was part of a conspiracy by the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI).
The case was later handed over to the Crime Branch, which initially did not include POCSO charges, allowing the accused to secure bail.
After concerns were raised by the victim’s family, the Kerala High Court ordered a fresh investigation.
The investigation team was changed twice due to dissatisfaction with the earlier inquiries.
A fifth investigation team led by Additional Director General of Police E J Jayaraj finally completed the probe and filed a charge sheet.
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Chhattisgarh: Couple, two grandchildren killed over 'property' dispute; two relatives held
Janjgir (Chhattisgarh) (PTI): An elderly couple and their two grandchildren were allegedly murdered by two close relatives to grab family property in Chhattisgarh’s Janjgir-Champa district, police said on Thursday.
The couple’s one son, who had earlier spent 15 years in jail for killing his own brother, and his son have been taken into custody in connection with the murders, an official said.
The bodies were found inside their under-construction house in Bhanvtara village under the jurisdiction of the Shivrinarayan police station after labourers reached the site for work in the morning, a senior police official said.
The deceased were identified as Medani Prasad Kashyap (70), his wife Kanti Bai (65), their grandchildren Pitambar Kashyap (17) and Mogra (25).
The deceased couple’s son, Sonsai, and his son Dakeshwar have been taken into custody in connection with the murders, the official said.
According to the preliminary investigation, Medani Prasad had three sons, including Sonsai. Police said Sonsai had murdered one of his brothers in the past and had served a 15-year jail term in the case, while the couple’s third son had reportedly died by suicide.
Sonsai and his son Dakeshwar, alias Golu, allegedly killed his parents and the children of his two deceased brothers with an axe while they were asleep in the under-construction house, he said.
Pitambar was the only son of one deceased brother, while Mogra was the only daughter of another, the official said.
The accused allegedly wanted sole ownership of the family property and are suspected of having committed the crime to eliminate other claimants, police said.
A case has been registered, and further investigation is underway, the official added.
