Orissa HC Quashes Death Sentence To Rape & Murder Accused By POCSO Court

Cuttack: The Orissa High Court on Wednesday quashed the death sentence announced by a POCSO Court to an accused for rape and murder of a minor girl in 2019 and asked to review the judgment.

According to the case, the crime was committed in Kangula village of Angul district on January 20, 2019. On the day, when the girl was going to the shop of her father, the accused Anam Dehuri waylaid her.

Dehuri allegedly raped the girl and later, killed her by smashing her head with a stone. Following the complaint lodged by the victim’s father, police arrested Dehuri in Kolkata. The police filed the chargesheet under Section 376 (3), 302, 201 of IPC and section 6 of POCSO Act.

After hearing the case, Special Judge of POCSO Court Suresh Chandra Pradhan had announced Dehuri guilty and pronounced the death sentence. It was the first capital punishment under POCSO Act in the state.

Later, Dehuri moved the High Court challenging the death sentence announced by the POCSO Court.