Pocso Verdicts Becoming a Deterrent Against Sexual Assaults on Minor Girls
Swift convictions and public awareness drives are deterring offenders, officials say
Nalgonda: Verdicts of Pocso (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) courts awarding stringent punishments to those sexually assaulting minor girls are turning out to be a deterrent.
This is borne out in Nalgonda district, where the Pocso Special Court has disposed of more cases in a year than registered, signalling a shift from managing cases to actively reducing them.
District authorities are widely publicising this aspect and the punishments awarded wrongdoers to deter the prospective abusers. Girls, on their part, are being educated about safety and “Good Touch-Bad Touch”.
In 2025, the Pocso Special Court of Nalgonda disposed of 171 cases, reducing the pendency of cases to 479. In 2025, 134 new Pocso cases had been reported in the district.
In the sensational case involving the rape and murder of a minor girl, the pocso court awarded double death punishment to the accused, Mohammed Mukhram, on August 14, 2025. The case drew nationwide attention. In another case involving a minor tribal girl, the court sentenced the accused, Mohammed Khayyum, to 51 years’ imprisonment on August 26, 2025. The court also sentenced Marri Ooshayya to 23 years’ imprisonment for assaulting a minor girl. In addition, more than six persons from the same region were sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment in different cases.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, special public prosecutor of Pocso Court Vemula Ranjith Kumar said police have furnished technical and scientific evidence, in addition to confessions of victims to secure convictions of the accused in the court. The convictions are being given wide publicity to create a sense of fear among abusers.
There is zero tolerance of attempts of accused to reach a “settlement or compromise” on sexual assault of minor girls.
District child protection officer Kasarla Ganesh said they are taking up awareness programmes in schools on Good Touch and Bad Touch, apart from displaying posters with pictures and explanations. “We have created posters with judgements in Pocso cases, listing the punishment that the accused have got,” Ganesh underlined.
K. Subhash of Peoples’ voice for child rights said classes on evidence-based safe touch and bad touch with puppets should be introduced to teach body safety rules in the curricula of primary schools. Parents should also teach their child about healthy boundaries. “There must be awareness programmes for parents to educate them about behavioural changes in victims of child abuse,” Subhash stated.
POCSO Cases in Nalgonda
Year Registered POCSO Cases
2023 125
2024 148
2025 134
Total 407
