Man gets 20 yrs jail for rape of 5-year-old

Jalpaiguri: The Special POCSO Court of Jalpaiguri has sentenced a man to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for raping a five-year-old girl. The verdict was delivered on Friday by Judge Rintu Sur. The court also directed the Jalpaiguri District Legal Services Authority to provide Rs 5 lakh in compensation to the victim’s family, Special Public Prosecutor Debashis Dutta stated.

The incident occurred on October 18, 2020, when the accused, a neighbour living adjacent to the victim’s family, lured the child with chocolates and took her to a nearby jungle, where he raped her. Hearing the child’s screams, locals rushed to the spot, forcing the accused to flee. The traumatised child later informed her mother, who immediately filed a complaint at NJP Police Station, leading to the accused’s prompt arrest. He was charged under relevant sections of the POCSO Act.

Special Public Prosecutor Dutta said: “During the trial, eight witnesses testified against the accused. After examining the evidence and the chargesheet, the court found him guilty and sentenced him to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment, along with a Rs 50,000 fine.”