Tamil Nadu: S. Abraham sentenced to death four times for sexually assaulting minors at Church; Court orders Rs 10 lakh compensation

A Tirunelveli special court under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act has awarded four separate death sentences to preacher S. Abraham for sexually assaulting four minor girls over a period of nearly two years. Special Court Judge K. Suresh Kumar convicted the 47-year-old after finding him “guilty beyond reasonable doubt” of the charges.

 

 

Abraham ran a Christian prayer church at Mela Ilanthaikulam near Gangaikondan Thevarkulam. The court observed that he had preyed on the very children he was expected to guide spiritually and had shown no genuine remorse. Along with the four death sentences, the judge imposed a cumulative fine of Rs 52,000 and ordered the state government to pay Rs 10 lakh as compensation to each of the four survivors.

 

According to the prosecution, Abraham sexually assaulted the girls during Bible and music classes at the church and at deserted locations nearby, using the pretext of imparting moral and religious education. The four victims were relatives from the same extended family. The youngest was eight years old; the others were aged between 11 and 13. The assaults allegedly began during the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020 and continued until 2022.

 

 

 

The case came to light when the eight-year-old girl from Thevarkulam complained of pain in her private parts. Her mother took her to hospital, where medical examination confirmed she had been sexually assaulted. Following this disclosure, three other girls from the same family told their mothers that Abraham had also assaulted them. Police investigations revealed that the accused had taken the children to isolated places under the guise of teaching Bible lessons and music, and had threatened them with severe consequences if they revealed the abuse.

 

 

Abraham was arrested on 5 July 2022 after the victims’ parents lodged complaints with the Tirunelveli Rural All Women Police Station. Tirunelveli Superintendent of Police Vishwesh Balasubramaniam Shastri confirmed that the abuse had continued for close to two years, facilitated by threats that kept the children silent.

 

The trial progressed rapidly after Tirunelveli police introduced a “case officer” scheme in 2026 aimed at expediting pending POCSO cases. Under the scheme, each matter is assigned to a dedicated team whose progress is reviewed weekly. Abraham’s case was handled by a team led by Additional Superintendent of Police K. Shanmugham. Police stated that the matter reached conviction within six months of the scheme’s launch.

 

The investigating team, supported by Special Public Prosecutor P. Usha, prepared the child witnesses for testimony and cross-examination. Medical evidence collected by investigating officer Radha was among the key material relied upon by the prosecution to establish penetrative sexual assault. All four girls, their parents, and other witnesses deposed during the trial.

 

The judgment ranks among the most severe outcomes secured under the case-officer scheme to date. By invoking the “rarest of rare” doctrine, the special court imposed the maximum punishment available under the law on all four counts.