Abducted and raped at 12, Chennai woman's 10-year battle for justice ends with life sentence for abuser; Here's How

synopsis

Chennai: A young woman, who had gone missing for 10 years, appeared in court to testify against Abbas Ali, the man who had abducted and raped her when she was 12. Her testimony described the traumatic experience and its impact on her life, leading to Ali's conviction and life imprisonment.

The incident occurred in 2015 when Ali, the son-in-law of the family's landlord, sexually abused the girl on multiple occasions before abducting her and taking her to Dindigul, around 430 km from Chennai. He booked a hotel room and assaulted her before abandoning her. Although the girl was found two days later, and a case was filed based on her mother's complaint, she went missing again, complicating the case. Years later, her courageous testimony in court brought closure and justice.

The family eventually fell apart under the immense stress. The parents parted ways, and the mother, seeking safety and obscurity, relocated with her daughter to a secluded village in southern Tamil Nadu. However, Abbas Ali managed to find them and issued death threats if they dared return to Chennai to testify against him.

In a desperate bid to remain safe, the mother and daughter adopted new identities and constantly moved from one village to another. The girl, grappling with severe emotional trauma and without access to mental health support, was forced to abandon her education. They managed to survive by taking up daily wage jobs.

Against all odds, the all-women police team from MKB Nagar persisted in their efforts to find the missing survivor. According to special public prosecutor S Anitha, their determination paid off earlier this year when they finally located her and brought her to court.

Now 22, the woman initially struggled to deliver her statement, but eventually found the strength to describe the sexual abuse she endured and the years she spent living in fear and hiding. Her courageous testimony, nearly a decade in the making, became the turning point in the case.

Following her account, Abbas Ali was handed a life sentence. On April 3, the judge also ordered the state to provide her with compensation of Rs 15 lakh.