Justice Served: Life Sentence for Man Convicted of Raping Differently Abled Girl

Life Imprisonment for Disturbing Crime

Balasore: A local POCSO court has sentenced a 60-year-old man to life imprisonment for the heinous crime of raping a differently abled girl, as confirmed by a government advocate.

Judge Indira Priyadarshini delivered the sentence against Padmalochan Kamila, who assaulted the 13-year-old girl from his neighborhood on April 17, 2024, according to Special Public Prosecutor Pranab Panda.

In addition to the life sentence, the court has imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on the offender.

Should he fail to pay the fine, he will face an additional year in prison, the prosecutor noted.

The verdict was reached after the court reviewed testimonies from 20 witnesses and examined 17 pieces of evidence.

The special public prosecutor also mentioned that the court has instructed the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) to provide Rs 4 lakh in compensation to the victim.

As per the prosecution's account, the victim was familiar with the convict and often visited his home to watch television. On the day of the incident, finding her alone, Padmalochan committed the crime.

Following the assault, the victim's mother filed a complaint at the Sahadevkhunta police station.

Subsequently, police apprehended Padmalochan and presented him before the court.