Life sentence given to ambulance driver in rape case of 19-year-old
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Pathanamthitta, Kerala: A man who raped a 19-year-old COVID-19 patient in 2020 as she was being taken to a first-line treatment facility near here was given a life sentence by a local court on Friday.
The Principal Sessions Court pronounced the quantum of punishment. Noufal, 29, from Kayamkulam, was convicted on Thursday.
The court also imposed a fine of Rs 2,12,000 on the convict.
The shocking incident allegedly took place at midnight on September 5, 2020, when the people of the country were living in fear of COVID-19.
Hailing the verdict, investigating officers said that collecting evidence in the case was a highly complicated task due to the alarming spread of the virus in the state at the time.
However, the police managed to gather all the necessary evidence and ensured a proper sentence for the accused, they added.
The assault occurred in a deserted area of Aranmula while the victim was being taken from Adoor General Hospital to the COVID centre in Pandalam.
The incident came to light when the survivor recounted the harrowing experience to medical personnel upon arriving at the treatment facility.
Acting swiftly on her statement, the police apprehended Noufal and placed him under arrest.
The incident sparked widespread public outcry across the state, with many criticising the health authorities for sending a female patient alone in the ambulance.
With PTI inputs