Berhampur: A special POCSO court in Berhampur Saturday convicted and sentenced a 30-year-old man to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) for raping a 9-year-old girl in 2023.
The accused, Rohit Naik of Badagada police limits in Ganjam district, was also fi ned Rs 5,000.
The court ruled that failure to pay the fine would result in an additional six months of imprisonment. In a related directive, the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) was ordered to provide Rs 10.5 lakh in financial compensation to the survivor.
The case dates back to December 2022, when a woman had taken her daughter to her paternal house in the Badagada area.
A cultural drama performance was underway in front of the house on the night of January 13, 2023, which the woman was watching along with her father.
When she returned home, she found her daughter missing from the room where she was asleep.
After a while, the girl returned home crying and alleged that a youth had entered the house, covered her mouth, dragged her to a nearby farmland and raped her.
The child was taken to hospital for medical attention, and the incident was reported to the Badagada police.
A case (22/23) was registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Following an investigation, police arrested Rohit Naik and forwarded him to court.
During the trial, the statements of nine witnesses were recorded, informed Public Prosecutor Narayan Panda.
PNN
