Life Sentence for Man Convicted of Raping Differently-Abled Girl in Balasore

Justice Served in Balasore

Balasore: A local POCSO court has sentenced a 60-year-old man to life imprisonment for the rape of a differently-abled 13-year-old girl. The ruling was delivered by Judge Indira Priyadarshini on Thursday, following the conviction of Padmalochan Kamila for the crime committed on April 17, 2024, as reported by 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, Padmalochan will face an additional year in prison. The court reached its decision after reviewing testimonies from 20 witnesses and examining 17 pieces of evidence. Furthermore, the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) has been instructed to provide Rs 4 lakh in compensation to the victim.

The prosecution revealed that the victim was familiar with the convict, often visiting his home to watch television. On the day of the incident, Padmalochan took advantage of her being alone and assaulted her. Following the incident, the victim's mother reported the crime to the Sahadevkhunta police, leading to Padmalochan's arrest and subsequent court proceedings.