Justice Served: Odisha Court Sentences Rapist to 20 Years

In Balasore, Odisha, a court sentenced Sukura Singh to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for raping and impregnating a 14-year-old girl. The POCSO court also imposed a fine, with a potential additional sentence. The case was built on evidence from 17 witnesses and 23 exhibits.

A court in Odisha's Balasore district has sentenced Sukura Singh, 34, to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for the rape and subsequent impregnation of a 14-year-old girl last year. The special judge at the POCSO court, Ranjan Kumar Sutar, announced the sentence on Friday.

Singh, from Ganipur village in the Remuna police station area, was also fined Rs 5,000. Failure to pay the fine will result in an additional two-year prison sentence, according to the court order. The heinous act was carried out while the victim was working at a brick kiln in Kharagpur, West Bengal.

The case came to light when the victim's family noticed changes in her behavior and physical condition, prompting an inquiry that revealed the sexual assault. The police arrested the perpetrator after an FIR was filed on July 3 of the previous year. The court's conviction was supported by testimony from 17 witnesses and 23 evidentiary exhibits, as per Special Public Prosecutor Pranab Kumar Panda.

(With inputs from agencies.)