Mumbai: Five years after two men kidnapped a 14-year-old girl, dragged her to a nearby hill, and gang-raped her, a special Pocso court recently convicted them and sentenced them to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment. The victim was on her way to get her watch repaired when the duo followed her and grabbed her. Sentencing the accused, the judge said that they were both mature at the time of the incident, and this was a direct attack on a 14-year-old girl walking from the road toward a shop.
“The incident will leave a scar in the mind of the victim for a long period, and she may not be in a position to live a normal life and even socialise in society. It will also cause mental trauma during her future life, and her life will be affected due to the incident. It also affects society as such types of incidents terrorise the people in the vicinity, and they think that their daughters and sisters are not safe…,” Special Judge Priya P Bankar said. The accused were also fined Rs 15,000 each. The judge said that Rs 25,000 out of the fine amount is to be given to the victim as compensation.
The victim was among nine witnesses examined by Special Public Prosecutor Pranjali Joshi. She told the court that at the time of the incident, she lived with her grandmother, father, and brother. On the night of Jan 30, 2020, she left her home to get her watch repaired. After crossing a bridge, she felt hungry and went down a lane to find a shop. It was dark, and she noticed someone following her. She began to run, and the two individuals chasing her also ran after her. One of them told the other to grab her. They grabbed her, despite her struggles, and ignored her screams for help. They forcibly took her to a hill, made her sit down, and prevented her from leaving. She told them her father was waiting for her and that she didn’t know them. They then threatened to throw acid on her, and sexually assaulted her. Afterward, she managed to escape. The following day, she informed her father. Her father took her to the police station and lodged a report.
Relying on the evidence in the case, the judge said, “…there is absolutely no reason to disbelieve the evidence of the victim. She has specifically stated that the accused kidnapped her from the road and forcibly took her to the hill, and there, both accused committed…sexual assault upon her.”
Mumbai: Five years after two men kidnapped a 14-year-old girl, dragged her to a nearby hill, and gang-raped her, a special Pocso court recently convicted them and sentenced them to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment. The victim was on her way to get her watch repaired when the duo followed her and grabbed her. Sentencing the accused, the judge said that they were both mature at the time of the incident, and this was a direct attack on a 14-year-old girl walking from the road toward a shop.
“The incident will leave a scar in the mind of the victim for a long period, and she may not be in a position to live a normal life and even socialise in society. It will also cause mental trauma during her future life, and her life will be affected due to the incident. It also affects society as such types of incidents terrorise the people in the vicinity, and they think that their daughters and sisters are not safe…,” Special Judge Priya P Bankar said. The accused were also fined Rs 15,000 each. The judge said that Rs 25,000 out of the fine amount is to be given to the victim as compensation.
The victim was among nine witnesses examined by Special Public Prosecutor Pranjali Joshi. She told the court that at the time of the incident, she lived with her grandmother, father, and brother. On the night of Jan 30, 2020, she left her home to get her watch repaired. After crossing a bridge, she felt hungry and went down a lane to find a shop. It was dark, and she noticed someone following her. She began to run, and the two individuals chasing her also ran after her. One of them told the other to grab her. They grabbed her, despite her struggles, and ignored her screams for help. They forcibly took her to a hill, made her sit down, and prevented her from leaving. She told them her father was waiting for her and that she didn’t know them. They then threatened to throw acid on her, and sexually assaulted her. Afterward, she managed to escape. The following day, she informed her father. Her father took her to the police station and lodged a report.
Relying on the evidence in the case, the judge said, “…there is absolutely no reason to disbelieve the evidence of the victim. She has specifically stated that the accused kidnapped her from the road and forcibly took her to the hill, and there, both accused committed…sexual assault upon her.”