Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Guwahati: The Court of the Additional Sessions Judge-cum-Special Judge for the POCSO Act in Dhubri has sentenced a man to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment for kidnapping and sexually assaulting a minor girl. The judge, Alhaj S. Mazumdar, convicted Doyal Shill, also known as Rahul, following a swift trial for the 2024 crime.
The case began on January 5, 2024, when the victim's father filed an FIR at the Agomani Police Station. The girl, who was 16 years and 10 months old at the time, had gone missing on New Year's Day while on her way to school. Investigators discovered that Shill had abducted the girl and transported her to his sister's home in Siliguri, West Bengal. Investigating Officer Jonali Devi eventually tracked down the victim and arrested the accused.
Under the court's ruling, Shill faces 10 years of rigorous imprisonment and a 5,000 rupee fine for violations of the POCSO Act. He received a separate one-year sentence for the kidnapping offense, though the judge ordered both terms to run concurrently. Should he fail to pay the fines, he will face additional jail time.
Special Public Prosecutor Rituparna Guha represented the state throughout the proceedings. Reflecting on the judicial process, Guha noted the gravity of the crime, as the POCSO Act charges "carry a minimum 10-year term extending up to life imprisonment." Local residents and child rights advocates have welcomed the conviction, viewing the sentence as a significant step in protecting minors across the region.
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