Thoothukudi, May 25 -- In a landmark verdict that has brought closure to a case that sparked nationwide outrage, a POCSO court in Thoothukudi on Monday sentenced 38-year-old Dharma Muneeswaran, alias Maveeran, to a double death penalty for the brutal rape and murder of a 17-year-old schoolgirl.

A 12th-grade schoolgirl from Veda natham village near Vilathikulam in Thoothukudi district was brutally sexually assaulted and murdered this past March. This incident caused nationwide outrage across Tamil Nadu and sparked intense debates regarding the law-and-order infrastructure.

Following a rigorous investigation by the district police, the main suspect, Dharma Muneeswaran from the Veda natham area, was arrested and jailed. During the police i...