The Fast Track Mahila Court in Ariyalur recently awarded a life sentence to a man for the murder of a Dalit girl in the district. The body of the minor girl with her limbs tied was found inside a well in Ariyalur district in December 2016.
The accused was also sentenced under certain sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012 and Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
In his judgment delivered on April 12, D. Selvam, judge in-charge of the Fast Track Mahila Court convicted the accused man under Sections 364 (kidnapping or abducting in order to murder), 302 (murder) and 201 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The court also convicted him under Section 10 (punishment for aggravated sexual assault) of the POCSO Act and Section 3(1)(w)(i) of the SC/ST Act. The court also directed for payment of a compensation of ₹5 lakh to the mother of the deceased under Section 33 (8) of the POCSO Act.
However, the court acquitted him from charges under Section 302 read with 120-B of IPC as well the charge under 376-D (gang rape) of the IPC. It also acquitted him from the charge under Section 3 (2)(va) of the SC/ST Act. The court also acquitted three other accused persons in the case.
The court awarded 10 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of ₹10,000 under Section 364, life sentence and a fine of ₹25,000 under Section 302, three years simple imprisonment and a fine of ₹5,000 under Section 201 of the IPC.
It awarded seven years of simple imprisonment and a fine of ₹10,000 under Section 10 of the POCSO Act and six months of simple imprisonment and a fine of ₹2,000 under Section 3(1)(w)(i) of the SC/ST Act. All the terms are to run concurrently.
On receipt of a complaint in the local police station, an FIR over a missing girl was registered. Later, sections under the POCSO Act was included in the case. A-1 was arrested and he took the police to the site of the offence.
Three more were arrested in the case. All the four accused persons arrested in the case were caste Hindus. A DNA test too was conducted during the investigation.
