• Source:JND
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A POCSO court in Balasore, Odisha, on Thursday sentenced a 60-year-old man to life imprisonment for raping a differently abled minor girl. The convict, Padmalochan Kamila, was found guilty of sexually assaulting the 13-year-old girl from his neighbourhood on April 17, 2024.

According to Special Public Prosecutor Pranab Panda, the victim used to visit Kamila’s house frequently to watch television. On the day of the incident, when the girl was alone, Kamila took advantage of the situation and raped her. The incident came to light after the victim’s mother filed a complaint at Sahadevkhunta police station. The accused was arrested soon after and later produced before the court.

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During the trial, the court examined 20 witnesses and reviewed 17 exhibits before pronouncing the verdict. In addition to life imprisonment, Judge Indira Priyadarshini also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on Kamila. If he fails to pay the fine, he will have to undergo an additional year of imprisonment.

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The court further directed the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) to provide Rs 4 lakh as compensation to the victim, acknowledging the trauma and hardship she endured.