Mathura, Nov 1 (IANS): A special POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) court in Mathura has sentenced a 35-year-old man to life imprisonment for sexually assaulting a 12-year-old boy.

Additional sessions and special judge Ram Kishore Yadav also imposed a fine of Rs 70,000 on the convict, with 50 per cent of the penalty to be paid to the victim’s parents.

The verdict came after a 30-day trial.

According to Alka Upmanyu, special district government counsel, "Hukum, the convict, approached the boy when he was returning home from school, lured him to his residence and sexually abused him in a cattle shed. The boy's mother witnessed the incident from the roof of their neighbour's house, and immediately raised an alarm.

Neighbours rescued the boy and handed over Hukum to the police.

An FIR was filed based on a complaint of the boy's father.

The accused was charged under IPC section 377 and sections 5 and 6 of POCSO Act for the crime that took place on July 23, 2023.

Mathura SP Shailesh Kumar monitored the investigation and helped police file a charge sheet in the fast-track court in just five weeks.

Hukum was convicted on July 27 and subsequently sentenced on October 30. The trial, which lasted 30 working days, featured testimonies of 12 witnesses.

"The medical report confirmed sexual assault. The child's detailed statement in the court describing the crime played a pivotal role in securing life imprisonment for the convict," Upmanyu added.

Notably, the POCSO Court in Mathura has earned the reputation for speedy handling of cases. Earlier, in February 2023, the court had sentenced a man for raping a minor girl to life imprisonment within 40 days of filing the chargesheet.