Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Feb 1: A special POCSO court in Mangaluru sentenced three men to 20 years in jail and fined them Rs. 1,65,000 for kidnapping and gang-raping a minor girl.
The convicts have been identified as Mohammed Shakhir alias Sakir alias Shakhir (26), resident of Kinnikambala near Mulur village in Mangaluru taluk, Abdul Samad alias Samad (32), resident of Kukkundur Bangle Gudde in Karkala taluk, and Abhijit alias Abhi (27), resident of Kaikamba in Bantwal taluk.
On December 7, 2021, the 16-year-old victim was lured by Shakhir and Samad with the promise of a mobile phone and new clothes from the Thokottu bus stand. They took her to Manjeshwar KJM Road Junction in Kasargod district. From there, Samad took her on his scooter to a lodge, where they confined her to a room. Despite her protests, the two men forced her to drink beer and smoke a mixture of ganja and cigarettes. They then raped her.
At 7:15 PM, they took her to Natekal and sent her with Abhijit in his car. He took her to an apartment in Kambalapadu, Pajir village, Mangaluru taluk, where he forced her to drink beer and smoke ganja before raping her. Later, Shakhir and Samad joined them and again gang-raped her.
The accused threatened to kill her if she told anyone about the incident. A case was registered at the Ullal police station, and the then Ullal police inspector, Sandeep G S, completed the investigation and filed a chargesheet against the accused in court.
The court, in its proceedings, examined 15 witnesses and marked 50 documents. The victim's medical examination confirmed that she and the accused had consumed ganja. Ganja was also recovered from the scene of the crime, and FSL officials confirmed that it was indeed ganja.
After hearing the evidence, documents, and arguments, the additional district and sessions court, FTSC-2 POCSO special court, concluded that the crime had been proven. Judge Manu K S delivered the verdict on January 31. Special public prosecutor K Badrinath Nair examined the witnesses and presented the arguments on behalf of the government.
The court has ordered the accused to pay Rs 1,65,000 from the fine amount to the victim. Additionally, it has directed the District Legal Services Authority to provide an additional compensation of Rs 2,35,000 under Section 357(A) of the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Victims Compensation Scheme.