35-yr-old man sentenced to 20 years in prison for raping minor

Jharsuguda: A 35-year-old man was sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for raping a seven-year-old girl in Jharsuguda district.
Additional district & sessions judge-cum-special judge, Pocso, Puja Sarangi, pronounced the verdict on Monday, convicting Kumesh Luhar for the crime that took place on Aug 17, 2023. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on the convict.
According to the prosecution, the incident took place when the girl and her aunt were returning home after collecting rice from a relative’s house. The accused abducted the girl and took her to a nearby jungle where he sexually assaulted her. The girl was rescued after her aunt’s screams attracted local residents, who then alerted police.
“The court examined 24 witnesses and reviewed 26 documents before pronouncing the verdict,” said special public prosecutor Pritiwiraj Singhdeo. He said the court has directed the state govt to provide Rs 7 lakh compensation to the girl.
Additional district & sessions judge-cum-special judge, Pocso, Puja Sarangi, pronounced the verdict on Monday, convicting Kumesh Luhar for the crime that took place on Aug 17, 2023. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on the convict.
According to the prosecution, the incident took place when the girl and her aunt were returning home after collecting rice from a relative’s house. The accused abducted the girl and took her to a nearby jungle where he sexually assaulted her. The girl was rescued after her aunt’s screams attracted local residents, who then alerted police.
“The court examined 24 witnesses and reviewed 26 documents before pronouncing the verdict,” said special public prosecutor Pritiwiraj Singhdeo. He said the court has directed the state govt to provide Rs 7 lakh compensation to the girl.