Baripada: A special Fast-Track POCSO Court in Baripada of Mayurbhanj on Friday sentenced a 25-year-old youth to life imprisonment for raping a minor girl in February 2021.
Pronouncing the verdict, Special Judge Santosh Kumar Nayak also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on the convict Umeshwar Singh, a resident of Similidahi village. In default of payment of the fine, the Singh will have to undergo an additional three years of rigorous imprisonment.
According to the prosecution, on the evening of February 16, 2021, the minor victim was returning home from a local market when the accused forcibly took her to a secluded place and raped her. The convict threatened to kill the girl if she disclosed the incident to anyone.
The survivor, however, gathered courage and informed her family members about the ordeal. The family immediately lodged a complaint at Baishinga police station. Police registered a case under relevant sections of the IPC and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, recorded the victim’s statement, arrested Umeshwar Singh, and produced him before the court.
After examining the statements of witnesses, medical evidence, and the police investigation report, the court found the accused guilty on all charges.The case was conducted on behalf of the state by Public Prosecutor Manoranjan Patnaik. The judgment has been welcomed by child rights activists in the district, who described the life sentence as a strong deterrent against crimes against minors.
