India, Nov. 16 -- In a disturbing development, a 37-year-old ragpicker from Dakshina Kannada has been sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment by a special court in Bengaluru dedicated to Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act cases. The court found Jnana Rubin Anthony Muttu guilty of sexually assaulting a minor boy in Bagalur, located near Yelahanka, and ordered him to pay a fine of Rs.60,000.

The incident occurred on January 21, 2024, when Muttu befriended a 13-year-old student in Class 7 by offering to buy him chocolates, said a report by The Times of India. Gaining the boy's trust, Muttu lured him to an isolated spot later that evening and committed the assault. Overwhelmed by distress, the boy initially stayed...