Bhubaneswar, October 30: A fast-track court in Odisha’s Phulbani has sentenced five individuals to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for committing dacoity and gangrape of a minor girl at gunpoint.
The convicted are Ashok Mukhi, Susanta Nayak, Krupakar Mukhi, Jerah Nayak, and Joseph Rupamajhi,
The incident occurred on the night of April 24, 2024, when the masked assailants—armed with a pistol and dagger—stormed the victim’s residence. They looted valuables, including a gold necklace, earrings, and ₹50,000 in cash, before abducting the minor and sexually assaulting her at a nearby location.
Following an FIR lodged by the girl’s father at Phiringia police station the next day, authorities apprehended all five accused from various hideouts.
Presiding over the case, Judge Kailash Chandra Swain of the Phulbani fast-track court also imposed a fine of ₹26,000 on each convict. Failure to pay the fine will result in an additional five years of imprisonment for each.
Special Public Prosecutor Banamali Behera said that the court examined 18 witnesses during the trial. Additionally, the District Legal Services Authority has been directed to provide ₹6 lakh in compensation to the survivor.
