During the trial, the court examined 11 prosecution witnesses. The judge acquitted the driver’s associate of the murder charge after he was found not to be involved in the killing. (Representational) A local court in Bahraich has sentenced a 25-year-old tractor driver to death and sent his 30-year-old accomplice to prison for 20 years in connection with the gang rape and brutal murder of a girl this April. The convicts have been in jail since their arrest about six months ago.
“Additional District and Session Judge Nitin Pandey found that the case fell in the rarest of rare category and sent one person to the gallows on Tuesday. The court awarded 20 years jail term to his associate,” district government counsel Manoj Singh said on Wednesday.
According to the prosecution, on April 10 the 13-year-old victim went to her father’s shop in the evening to bring some goods. When she did not return, her family and neighbours started looking for her. Her body was found in a nearby nullah, and the villagers saw two local residents running away from the spot.
On being alerted, the police reached the site and took possession of the body. The autopsy report revealed that there were 14 injuries on the girl’s body and that she was strangled.
The girl’s family told the police that their tractor driver and his associate were seen near the spot where the body was discovered. Locals also told the police that the girl was last spotted with the driver. During interrogation, the man confessed to the crime and told investigators about the involvement of his friend, who was then arrested, said the police.
The girl, a Class 8 student, was the only daughter of the complainant. During the trial, the court examined 11 prosecution witnesses. The judge acquitted the driver’s associate of the murder charge after he was found not to be involved in the killing.
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