Mason gets 4-year jail for sexually assaulting minor

LUDHIANA: A local court has sentenced a mason, 22, to four years of rigorous imprisonment for sexually assaulting his minor neighbour. A fine of Rs 10,000 has also been imposed on the convict and in case of default in its payment, he will undergo another month of simple imprisonment. Of the fine amount, Rs 5,000 would be paid as compensation to the survivor.

On May 9, 2017, Jagraon city police had booked the mason for sexually assaulting the 15-year-old.

The survivor’s grandmother had told the police that her granddaughter was alone at home that day. “Her parents had gone to their workplaces and her two brothers, too, were not at home. The mason entered the washroom and sexually assaulted my granddaughter.”


On hearing her shrieks, her grandmother, who lived next door, rushed to the spot. The accused fled on seeing her.

During the trial of the case, the mason — father of two daughters and a son — pleaded innocence.

The additional public prosecutor for the state sought punishment on the basis of evidence, including the statements of the survivor and her grandmother.

The defence counsel contended that the mason had been implicated at the instance of the complainant due to rivalry between the two families.

The court, however, observed that occasional disputes of the survivor’s grandmother with the accused’s family were not so grave as to compel the former to put their reputation at stake.

“The act of sexual assault apart from being a dehumanizing act, is an unlawful intrusion on the right of privacy and sanctity of a woman or a minor girl. It is a serious blow to her supreme honour and offends her self-esteem and dignity as well. It degrades and humiliates the victim and where the victim is helpless innocent child or a minor, it leaves behind a traumatic experience. It is a crime against basic human rights and also violates the most cherished fundamental right guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution,” the court observed in its judgement.