Baripada: A Special POCSO Court in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district sentenced a man to 10 years rigorous imprisonment in a 2.5-year-old rape case.
Dargah Barda, 42, of Khairpal village under Jamda police station was awarded the sentence by Judge Sumita Jena. A fine of Rs 10,000 was also imposed on him, failing to pay which, an additional 6-month prison term would be added to the sentence, the judgement order said.
Barda had been lodged in Baripada Divisional Jail since July 2, 2018.
According to the source, the accused was seen holding a baby girl in his arms and roaming around at a wedding ceremony, before vanishing from the site, around 7 pm on March 14 in 2018. The family later searched for the girl but could not trace her.
The following morning, her cries were heard from a nearby heap of straw and she was found in a pool of blood. People rushed her to the hospital, where doctors confirmed that the minor was violently raped.
Since the accused had fled the village the same night, the needle of suspicion pointed towards him. Barda was subsequently detained by people in another village, where during questioning by the villagers, he confessed to his crime.
Jamda Police later arrested him on the basis of a complaint lodged by the girl’s father.
The verdict was given on the basis of at least 13 witnesses accounts and reports by doctors, the sources added.
