Justice Served: 20-Year Sentence for Kandhamal Rapist

A POCSO court in Odisha sentenced Hemanta Patra to 20 years in prison for raping a minor. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000, with additional custody if unpaid. The crime occurred in 2021, leading to his arrest following an FIR by the victim’s family.

In a significant ruling, the POCSO court in Odisha's Kandhamal district sentenced 21-year-old Hemanta Patra to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for the rape of a 16-year-old girl in 2021. Monoranjan Das, the presiding judge, also imposed a financial penalty of Rs 50,000 on the convicted individual.

The crime unfolded when the unemployed youth committed the assault on the victim in the outskirts of her village under the Belghar police station area. The victim, who was attending to nature's call, was repeatedly threatened and assaulted by Patra, as detailed by Romesh Chandra Mohanty, the special public prosecutor.

The victim's family swiftly lodged an FIR with the Belghar police, leading to Patra's arrest and subsequent judicial custody. The court's decision reflects a stringent stance on crimes against minors, with further implications if the financial penalty remains unpaid.

(With inputs from agencies.)