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Ranchi, Nov 24 (IANS) A special Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act court in Ranchi has sentenced four people, including the boyfriend of the minor victim, to life imprisonment for gang-raping a teenage girl.
The verdict was announced on Monday after he was found guilty last Thursday, November 20. Sentencing was reserved for Saturday, 22 November, but was postponed until Monday.
The convicts – Deepak Kumar, Nitesh Kumar, Bunty Tirkey and Gopal Koiri were found guilty of committing the heinous crime. Another accused, a juvenile, is facing trial in the Juvenile Justice Board.
According to the prosecution, the victim was known to the main accused Deepak Kumar. On October 2, 2023, Deepak called her to meet him at Dhurva Dam and later took her to Deer Park on Khunti Road, where he had physical relations with her.
Subsequently, Deepak called his friends – Nitesh, Bunty, Gopal and another minor – and forced the girl to accompany them to Dasham Falls, about 40 km from Ranchi. There the group gang-raped her.
The victim testified that she was scared throughout the incident and was threatened when she protested.
The next day Deepak left her near Dhurva Dam and ran away. Upon returning home, the girl informed her family, following which an FIR was lodged at Dhurva-Hatiya police station.
Taking immediate action, the police arrested all the adult accused and sent them to judicial custody. The prosecution presented strong evidence, including the victim’s testimony, medical examination reports, verification of the crime scene and other technical evidence.
A comprehensive charge sheet was filed based on this evidence. The special POCSO court found the evidence credible and convicted the accused on 20 November.
The court emphasized that such crimes against minors are extremely dangerous for the society and require stringent punishment to ensure justice and deterrence. Accordingly, all four adult accused were sentenced to life imprisonment.
–IANS
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