Keonjhar: A district and sessions court in Keonjhar, Odisha, sentenced four men to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment each on Thursday for the gang rape of a 16-year-old girl in 2020. The incident occurred in a village under the jurisdiction of the local police station.
The convicted individuals, three aged 24 and one aged 26, are all residents of the same village. Special Pocso judge Monalisa Mohanty delivered the verdict, basing the sentence on the testimony of 29 witnesses and the police investigation report. The court also directed the District Legal Services Authority to provide the survivor with a compensation of Rs 10 lakh.
Special public prosecutor Sanjay Paikray stated that the crime took place on the evening of December 29, 2020. The survivor had gone to meet a male friend when the four accused allegedly assaulted both of them, forcibly took the girl away, and gang-raped her. The accused reportedly threatened to kill the minor if she disclosed the incident.
The survivor and her family remained silent for two days before finally lodging a complaint on January 1, 2021. The police promptly arrested the accused and produced them in court. Sub-inspector Anusuya Sethy investigated the case and filed the chargesheet, leading to the conviction.
The verdict has been hailed as a strong message against sexual violence, with the court ensuring justice for the minor survivor through a thorough legal process.
