In a first-of-its-kind verdict, a Mahila court in Tamil Nadu has turned heads through its judgment of awarding 15 years prison sentence for a 102-year-old retired teacher for sexually harassing a 10-year-old girl. In what has become the first probable case in the nation where a centenarian has been given a jail term for harassing a minor girl, the verdict has come nearly four years after the incident has happened. 

According to reports, a Mahila court in the Tiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu has awarded the sentence to 102-year-old Parasuraman, who is the retired headmaster of a government school in the state. Besides dictating a 15-year prison sentence, the court has also ordered Parasuraman to pay Rs 5000 as a fine for sexually assaulting a minor girl. The incident has happened in 2018 when Parasuraman was 99 years old. 

It has been reported that Parasuraman had constructed five houses at Sennerkuppam in Thiruvallur and had given the houses for rent. A family, with their 10-year-old daughter, has taken a house for rent and was residing in the house, which sits close to Parasuraman's residence. On July 6, 2018, the minor girl has complained of stomach pain to her parents. 

When her mother asked what she has eaten, the girl has revealed that she was sexually harassed by Parasuraman. Based on her statement, the family had complained to the police after which Parasuraman was taken into custody. He has remained under judicial custody and the trial ran for over three and a half years. 

After the trial, Parasuraman was found guilty of the crime and he has now been sentenced to 15 years in jail along with a fine of Rs 5000. Of the 15-year jail term, ten-year of the sentence is rigorous imprisonment and five years is simple imprisonment. He has been lodged at Puzhal central prison in Chennai. Speaking to IANS, Sub-Inspector Latha of the Thiruvallur police station said, "I was the investigating officer of the case and on receiving a complaint from the parents, we interrogated Parasuraman and he admitted to the crime. He was arrested and remanded in judicial custody."