Thoothukudi schoolgirl sexual assault and murder case: Man gets death sentence on two counts

Dharma Muneeswaran was led out of the court after the verdict on Monday. | Photo credit: N. Rajesh

A special POCSO court in Thoothukudi on Monday (May 25, 2026) sentenced Dharma Muneeswaran (38) of Sayalkudi to death on two counts after convicting him in March of sexually assaulting and murdering a 17-year-old schoolgirl in the district.

The girl went missing in a bushy forest about 250 meters from her residence on the evening of March 10 and was found murdered on March 11. The Kulathur police recovered the body and sent it to Thoothukudi Government Medical College and Hospital for autopsy.

Following the incident, parents, relatives and villagers of the victim staged a protest demanding the arrest of the accused and action against the Kulathur and Vilathikulam police for allegedly not acting in time.

After a week-long manhunt, accused Munneswaran was arrested in connection with the crime on March 19.

Afterwards, Thoothukudi District Superintendent of Police C. Madhan said that the evidence leading to Muneeswaran was collected through scientific investigation.

After his arrest, Dharma Muneeswaran was remanded in judicial custody at Palayamkottai Central Jail before being shifted to Madurai Jail for security reasons.

The investigating officer, Vilathikulam DSP Sundarapandian, filed a charge sheet of about 1,150 pages on March 31. Additional District Judge M. Breetha presided over the case.

Special public prosecutor V Ellammal said 71 witnesses were examined from May 5 to May 22. The prosecution submitted 19 material objects and 117 documentary evidence to the court. The court found the accused guilty and awarded him two death sentences and one year of imprisonment under Section 104 and Section 127(2) of the BNS and Section 6 of the POCSO Act.

The IG welcomes the verdict

The double death sentence awarded by the court to the accused in the Thoothukudi schoolgirl rape and murder case restores faith in the criminal justice system, Inspector General of Police Vijayendra Bidari said on Monday.

He said the trial in the case which created a lot of furore in the state was completed in 54 days, resulting in maximum punishment for the accused.

“In this ‘blind’ case, there was no clue to the crime and its circumstances,” he added.

Senior police officers, including ADGP (law and order), IG South Zone and DIG Tirunelveli Range, camped in Thoothukudi for several days.

Ten special teams were formed and swift efforts were made to secure the accused.

On careful investigation, a clue was found in the CCTV analysis, after which the two-wheeler rider was identified as the prime suspect. Later, irrefutable DNA match evidence confirmed the accused’s involvement in the crime.

The IG also commended the investigating officer Sundarapandian under the supervision of SP Thoothukudi for the meticulous and speedy manner in which the chargesheet was filed within 21 days after a detailed investigation.

Published – 25 May 2026 14:57 IST