Thiruvananthapuram: A special fast-track court here sentenced a 63-year-old man to double life imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 60,000 for sexually abusing his partner's nine-year-old granddaughter.

The court had already sentenced the convict, Vikram, to double life imprisonment last week for assaulting her younger sibling, a six-year-old granddaughter. The additional punishment includes a 14-year rigorous imprisonment as well. Issuing consecutive double-life sentences to the same convict in two cases is rare.

The assaults, occurring between 2020 and 2021, began after the victims' parents abandoned her, placing them in the care of her grandmother. During this period, Vikram subjected both sisters to repeated abuse and threatened them with death if they disclosed the incident.

The repeated assaults caused severe physical injuries to the girls. Their cries for help were also unheard because the house doors were closed. The case surfaced when a neighbour happened to witness Vikram abusing the girls through an open door and promptly informed the police. Currently, both victims are residing in a care home.

Special Public Prosecutor R S Vijay Mohan and Advocate Adiyannur R Y Akhilash represented the prosecution. Officers A Ansari, K P Thomson, and H L Sajeesh led a comprehensive investigation into the case.