Hyderabad, Feb. 21 -- In a landmark judicial ruling, thousands of children in Jammu and Kashmir's northern district Sopore finally received justice after enduring three decades of physical abuse and sexual harassment by a 70-year-old self-proclaimed imam.

On the chief judicial magistrate court (CJM) Sopore on February 17 court convicted the self proclaimed imam identified as Ajaz Sheikh, known locally as "Peer Baba" for sexual abuse against several minor boys and girls, spanning over 30 years.

Sheikh pretended to be an Imam while also posing as a Quran teacher and holy healer to deceive people and hide his heinous criminal activities for decades.

Court ruling of the Imam

Sheikh received a prison sentence of 14 years after judges decla...