Tuition teacher sentenced to 18 years’ RI for sexual assault

The Thiruvananthapuram Fast Track Special Court on Wednesday sentenced a 57-year-old tuition teacher to 18 years of rigorous imprisonment for sexually assaulting a student, a crime that came to light 11 years after it occurred.

Special Judge Anju Meera Birla pronounced the sentence against Subhash Kumar, who hails from the Medical College area. In addition to the prison term, the court imposed a fine of ₹35,000. The failure to pay the fine will result in an additional three-and-a-half years of imprisonment.

According to the prosecution led by Special Public Prosecutor R.S. Vijay Mohan, the survivor was a student in Class 5 and 6 when the sexual abuse had taken place. Her ordeal began in 2013, when Subhash, her tuition teacher at the time, repeatedly molested her until January 2014. While he threatened her against revealing the incidents, she stopped attending his classes in Class 6.

The trauma led to severe anxiety, panic disorders and social withdrawal. The survivor even lost a year of schooling during her Plus Two studies due to her deteriorating mental health. While receiving online psychiatric treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic, the victim was unable to disclose the abuse because her mother was always present. However, the turning point occurred after she secured admission for her MBBS and moved into a hostel.

Upon seeing a person in the hostel who bore a striking resemblance to her abuser, the girl suffered a severe mental breakdown. During a subsequent consultation with a doctor, she finally revealed the years of suppressed trauma. The doctor promptly informed the police in 2024, which led to the arrest of the accused, the prosecution stated.