Bhubaneswar: A special court has sentenced a man to life imprisonment for burning a 15-year-old girl to death in Kalahandi district in 2017, the state crime branch said.
Additional Sessions Judge-cum-Special Court on Tuesday convicted Tumeshwar Das under relevant sections of the IPC in connection with the case. The court also imposed a fine of ₹1 lakh along with additional punishment for non-payment. The crime branch had taken over the case for investigation after the state government transferred the case from Narla police.
The case dates back to January 11, 2017, when Das and a teenager had allegedly made obscene remarks on the minor girl.
Later that evening, the two allegedly broke into her house in the absence of her parents, gagged her, poured kerosene oil on her and set her on fire. The girl suffered 95 percent burns and later died during treatment.
Following a complaint by the victim’s father, Narla police registered a case under various provisions of the IPC and POCSO Act.
The crime branch took over the investigation on January 14, 2017, and later filed a chargesheet against six accused, including Das and Kishore.
The crime branch said the sentencing followed a detailed investigation and successful presentation of evidence before the court, which while delivering its verdict described the crime as falling in the “rarest of the rare” category.
