The II Additional District and Special Sessions Court here on Wednesday sentenced Shravankumar, a resident of Venkatapur tanda (hamlet) in Kalaburagi taluk, to life imprisonment and fined him ₹2 lakh for sexually assaulting a minor girl.
The accused had been harassing the victim by calling and telling her that he had fallen in love with her despite her rejection.
On January 4, 2016, he called and requested her to meet him on the outskirts of the village to discuss an important issue.
When she came, he took her to a desolate place and raped her. He threatened her not to reveal the incident. He again raped her on January 10, 2016, when she was out grazing her herd of goats. He was caught when he attempted to rape her at a cattle shed early on January 13, 2016. The victim also tried to commit suicide by consuming pesticide on the same evening after the incident became known in the hamlet. Her mother then lodged a complaint with the Mudhol police station and a case was registered under various sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act 2012.
The judge awarded life imprisonment to the guilty and imposed a fine of ₹1 lakh on him under Section 376(2)(N) of IPC (punishment for rape) and Section 6 of POCSO Act. He also awarded 10-year rigorous imprisonment to the guilty and imposed a fine of ₹1 lakh under Sections 376(2)(I)(N) and 350 of IPC and Sections 6 and 6 of POCSO Act. The judge ordered the District Legal Services Authority to pay ₹5 lakh compensation to the victim.