Former Headmaster Gets Half Of Life Imprisonment For Raping Girl Students In Odisha’s Sundargarh

Sundargarh:  A former school headmaster, accused of disrobing and raping 11 girl students, was sentenced to 90 years of imprisonment by Additional District Judge and Special POCSO Court of Sundargarh in Odisha.

The court, however, ordered the accused to pay a fine of Rs 47,000 and serve a maximum of 10 years imprisonment, which is half of life imprisonment under the POCSO Act. In default, he has to spend an additional six months in jail.

The convict, identified as Devanand Patel, had raped the girls in 2015 while serving as the headmaster of Raidihi Primary School under Lephripara block in Sundargarh district. Some of his victims belonged to the Scheduled Tribes (ST) community.

He was found guilt of sexual harassment and misconduct under Section 376 of IPC and POCSO Act.

The court has also directed the district legal services authority to pay Rs 28 lakh as ex-gratia to the girl students.