Sambalpur court sentences man to 30 years RI for rape of 6-year-old girl; victim still under treatment

SAMBALPUR: A local court on Saturday sentenced a 25-year-old man to 30 years of rigorous imprisonment for the brutal rape of a six-year-old girl from Sundargarh, who had come to Sambalpur with her mother to attend a family wedding.

The child, who was admitted to VSS INstitute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR), Burla for 20 days following the assault, continues to receive medical treatment more than a year after the incident, according to Special Public Prosecutor Santosh Panda. The crime occurred on the evening of April 27, 2024, when the child went missing while playing with other children at her maternal uncle’s house during the wedding.

Despite frantic searches by family members, she was found only later that night — dropped near the house by the accused, who is from the same locality and had also attended the wedding. The child was discovered in a pool of blood, with severe injuries to her private parts and face.

Following the child’s disclosure of the assault, her mother rushed her to a local hospital and then to VIMSAR, where she remained under intensive care.

A police complaint was filed the next day at the local station in Sambalpur. “This was a heinous case,” said Panda. “The accused belonged to the same village and was present at the wedding. The court recorded statements from 45 witnesses, which is nearly double the usual number in such cases.” Delivering the verdict, POCSO Special Judge Abhilash Senapati sentenced the convict to 30 years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 50,000.

The District Legal Services Authority has also been directed to pay Rs 13.5 lakh as compensation to the survivor. In a separate POCSO case heard the same day, a 29-year-old man was sentenced to four years of imprisonment. Northern Range IG Himashu Lal commended the Sambalpur Police for personally pursuing both investigations. “We treat cases involving women and children with utmost urgency and seriousness. Our message is clear — in POCSO cases, arrest alone is not enough. Securing convictions is essential to deter such crimes,” he said.