Bhubaneswar: A special POCSO Court in Phulbani has sentenced a man to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for kidnapping and raping a minor girl.
The Court also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on the convict, Hari Shankar Behera, a resident of Tumudibandha. Failure to pay the fine will result in an additional six months of imprisonment.
According to the prosecution, Behera kidnapped the victim in 2021 and subjected her to repeated rape at different locations until 2023. The victim became pregnant, and Behera forced her to undergo an abortion. When the victim’s family members came to know about the incident, they approached the accused’s family, who initially agreed to solemnise the marriage of the accused with the victim after a year. However, later they refused to cooperate or take responsibility. As a result, on November 14, 2023, the victim’s family filed a written complaint with the Tumudibandha police station.
The court, after examining 12 witnesses and considering the victim’s statement and medical reports, found Behera guilty and handed down the sentence.
Additionally, the court directed the Odisha State Legal Services Authority to provide Rs 7 lakh as compensation to the victim.
