38-year-old Dharma Muneeswaran, a native of Sayalkudi town, has been awarded a double death sentence in the rape and murder case of an underage girl. The judgement was pronounced by a POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act) court in Tamil Nadu’s Thoothukudi district on 25th May (Monday). The victim was a 17-year-old schoolgirl from Vedanatham village close to Vilathikulam, and she was in the 12th standard.
Authorities made progress after CCTV at a wind farm captured a bike-borne image of the suspect. The trial began on 5th April, and all 71 witnesses were questioned between 5th and 22nd May. Sessions Judge M. Breetha found the offence had shaken society’s conscience and stated the prosecution proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt. The court sentenced him to one year of hard imprisonment for grievous injury, along with the death penalty, according to BNS Sections 104 and 127(2) and Section 6 of the POCSO Act.
Notably, Muneeswaran was convicted in March 2025 for raping and murdering a 60-year-old woman within Ettayapuram police limits in 2020. He was released on conditional bail in December 2025. Judge Breetha stated, “Despite being given a chance to repent, he committed another grave offence against a girl of his daughter’s age. Hence, he deserves the death penalty.”
The prosecution presented the court with 117 pieces of documentation and 19 tangible exhibits. The chargesheet was submitted by the police within 21 days. DNA evidence, CCTV recording and the movements of a stolen two-wheeler were used by the police to build the case. Forensic evidence gathered throughout the inquiry also played a key role. Semen collected from the girl’s intimate areas was matched with the accused via DNA testing, while samples taken from his clothes matched her blood group.
“This was a blind case. We cracked it using scientific evidence, and the DNA match became the clinching proof,” informed Inspector-General of police (South Zone) Vijayendra S Bidari. Nearly 1,000 hours of CCTV footage from cameras installed between Tuticorin town and Vedanatham hamlet were also examined by investigators.
The minor was discovered dead on 11th March after going missing in a scrub forest neighbourhood around 250 metres from her home a day earlier. The body was recovered by the Kulathur police and transferred to the Thoothukudi Government Medical College and Hospital for post-mortem examination.
Afterwards, a demonstration was organised by her parents, relatives and locals, who demanded the arrest of the accused. Furthermore, they also wanted the Kulathur and Vilathikulam police to be held accountable for their failure to act in a timely manner. The convict was arrested on 19th March after an extensive search.
