Madrasa teacher sentenced to 187 years in jail for sexually assaulting minor in Kerala's Kannur

A madrasa teacher in the Kannur district of Kerala has been handed a cumulative 187-year prison sentence by a Taliparamba court for the sexual assault of a 16-year-old girl.


The verdict, delivered on Tuesday, found Muhammed Rafi, a resident of Alakode, guilty under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. In addition to the lengthy custodial sentence, Rafi was also levied a fine of Rs 9 lakh.   

Investigations revealed that the assaults occurred between 2020 and 2021, during the Covid-19 pandemic. Authorities stated that Rafi allegedly cultivated the victim's trust before perpetrating the repeated abuse. The Pazhayangadi police station registered the case.

The court noted the severity of the crime and highlighted Rafi's history as a repeat offender, citing a previous booking under the POCSO Act in a case registered at the Valapattanam police station. He was reportedly on bail at the time of the current offense.

This case follows a recent incident in Bengaluru, where an 11-year-old girl was allegedly assaulted at a madrasa in Hegde Nagar in February. Mohammad Hasan, the son of the hostel in-charge, was arrested after CCTV footage purportedly showed him physically abusing the child following a dispute. He has been booked under relevant sections of the Juvenile Justice Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. These separate incidents underscore concerns regarding the safety and well-being of children within educational and religious institutions.