UKHRUL: A man from Assam has been sentenced to death by a Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) court in Assam’s Dhubri distrct for the rape and murder of a 4-year-old girl in 2023, terming the crime under the “rarest of rare” category.
The accused identified as Utpal Roy was awarded the death penalty by Bilasipara Additional and District Court Special Judge Rana Dutta on Monday. Additional statutory sentence and fines under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and POCSO was also imposed.
The convict was held guilty for sexually assaulting and subsequently killing the minor at Krishnakali Tea Estate under Chapar Police Station limits three years ago.
The judge sentenced Roy to life imprisonment for rape and fined an amount of Rs 10,000. He also got five years of imprisonment and was fined Rs 4,000 for the disappearance of evidence and provision of false information to screen an offender. The court further sentenced the Roy to 20 years imprisonment fined Rs 50,000 for aggravated sexual against a child.
The judge ruled that all the sentences would run concurrently.
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The incident took place during the month of September in 2023. The child was reported missing from her residence inside the tea garden premises. Police conducted a search operation and found her body a few days later. Police reported that Roy had lured the child in a secluded area before raping and killing her. He was later arrested in March of 2024.
The death sentence was awarded with the aim of ensuring justice for the victim’s family, the prosecutor said.
