Kendrapara: A local court sentenced a man to four years of imprisonment after convicting him of rape of a minor tribal girl during the last panchayat elections under Jambu Marine police limits of Mahakalapara block in Kendrapara district. The convict was identified as Ramakant Rout under the police limits. The additional sessions court judge Tribikram Keshari Chinnara also slapped a penalty of Rs 15,000 on Rout. He has to undergo an additional six months of imprisonment, if he fails to pay the fine, Special public prosecutor Manoj Kumar Sahu informed Saturday. Sahu said that the survivor is from a tribal community. The incident occurred when her parents had gone to the polling booth to vote in the panchayat elections leaving behind their daughter alone in the house.
Taking advantage of the situation, Rout barged into the victim’s house and raped her. He also threatened her with dire consequences if she disclosed the matter. The girl narrated her ordeal before her mother after she returned home. Later, her mother lodged a complaint at the police station leading to the arrest of Rout.
