Jalpaiguri: The Jalpaiguri District Special POCSO Court has sentenced a man to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for the rape of a five-year-old girl. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000, with an additional two-month jail term in case of non-payment.
Delivering the verdict, Judge Rintu Sur directed the District Legal Services Authority to provide Rs 5 lakh as compensation to the victim for her physical and emotional trauma.
The incident occurred on September 26, 2022, in the Bhaktinagar Police Station area.
The minor, who had lost both her parents, was living with her grandparents and elder sister. On the day of the incident, the accused — a neighbour — took advantage of her being alone at home, entered the house and assaulted her. Her elder sister arrived just in time to rescue her and informed their aunt, who filed a complaint the next day.
Police promptly registered a case under Section 4 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, and a swift investigation followed.
Special Public Prosecutor Debashis Dutta said: “At the time of the incident, the victim was only five years old. The court relied on the statements of seven witnesses, including the victim, her elder sister and the medical officer. Their testimonies played a crucial role in the conviction.”