Representational Image
Dhubri, July 11: A special court at Dhubri for exclusive trial of cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act convicted and sentenced a 27-year-old man with rigorous imprisonment for life for raping a 10 year old minor girl.
While speaking to The Assam Tribune, the Special Public Prosecutor of the Court, Uttam Kumar Sarkar said that on 19th January 2020, the mother of the 10 year old victim lodged an FIR before the Officer-in-Charge of Dhubri Police Station stating that, her daughter was sexually assaulted by the accused Debesh Biswas when her she went to collect clothes from the terrace. Biswas is a resident of Ward No 12 of Dhubri town.
The FIR also states that when the victim raised hue and cry, Biswas gagged her mouth and threatened her with dire consequences.
On the basis of the said FIR, Dhubri P.S. Case No. 110/2020 dated 19.01.2020 under Sections 376-AB/506 of IPC R/w Section 6 of POCSO Act has been registered against the accused Debesh Biswas and few others.
Accordingly, the Additional Session Judge Cum Special Judge, POCSO, Dhubri passed an order on Monday under Section 42 of POCSO 2012 and convicted Debesh Biswas and sentenced him to undergo Rigorous Imprisonment for life and a fine of Rs 1 lakh.
Sarkar stated that this is a historic Judgement and will teach a lesson to many and also informed that this is the first conviction since the Special court for the trail of the POCSO cases have started.
The Special judge in the Judgement stated that victim of sexual offences lacks self-confidence and is always under a sense of guilt and denial. "It's not about the body. It's more about the mind. Sexual abuse is a rape of the mind and thought processes. Rape is the most morally and physically reprehensible crime in a society, an assault on the body, mind and privacy of the victim. Subjecting a woman to forceful sexual assault without her consent is offence against the society."
The judgement also stated, "In the instant case, the accused has raped a young minor girl who was helpless, defenceless, vulnerable and an easy prey. He has violated the very sanctity of the relationship between him and the victim who is his neighbour and treats him as her brother. She must have undergone immense physical pain and agony when the offence was committed. The convict went on to commit the ghastly, abominable, inhuman and barbaric act of rape, violating her person and giving her a lifelong trauma."