Thrissur, April 25: A 43-year-old Madrasa teacher Abdul Haneefa Madani from Kasaragod district of Kerala has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for raping one of his students, a 14-year-old boy. The forced sodomy happened on different occasions until May 2016, when the family of the boy filed a complaint at Ambalathara Police Station situated in Kasaragod district.

 

“Haneefa is an ustad who used to lure the child to his house in the evenings after classes and assault him. Police were informed after the boy complained to his family,” said Raghunathan, ASI, Ambalathara. “He has been charged under section 377 of the IPC as well as the POCSO Act,” he said, adding that he has been charged with two more cases of rape of minors. Haneefa is a native of Puthur in Kannur district.

 

Additional Sessions Court Judge K T Nirmala found Haneefa guilty, under section 5 of the POCSO act. The court has also slapped a fine of Rs 100,000, which if not paid would mean another year in prision. Haneefa is currently in the Kannur Central Prison.

 

Repeated incidents of Madrasa teachers’ sexually exploiting minor boys and girls has led to public outcry, with many opining that only women should be appointed as teachers.