A North Tripura court has handed down a 20-year prison sentence to a school hostel warden after finding him guilty of repeatedly sexually assaulting a minor student over nearly two months.
Key Takeaways:
- POCSO court sentences hostel warden Uday Kumar Reang to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment.
- The court also imposed a Rs 10,000 fine, with six months of additional jail time for non-payment.
- The court examined 16 witnesses during the trial before delivering the verdict.
A POCSO court in North Tripura has sentenced St Peter School hostel warden Uday Kumar Reang to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for sexually assaulting a minor girl student.
Special POCSO Court Judge Sudipta Chowdhury pronounced the sentence on Saturday. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on Reang.
Assault Continued for Nearly Two Months
According to the case details, the accused allegedly assaulted the minor student several times over nearly two months before November 21, 2022.
The incidents took place inside the school hostel. The prosecution case stated that Reang took the girl to places including the hostel kitchen and an empty room and sexually assaulted her.
The incident came to light after a case was registered at Kanchanpur police station. The matter was subsequently heard by the POCSO court under Case No. 07/23.
Court Examined 16 Witnesses
The trial continued for a prolonged period. The court examined 16 witnesses during the proceedings.
Final arguments concluded on August 27. After considering the evidence and submissions, the court found Reang guilty.
The court awarded 20 years of rigorous imprisonment as the principal sentence. It also ordered him to pay a Rs 10,000 fine. Failure to pay the fine will result in an additional six months of imprisonment.
Separate Sentence Under IPC Section 506
The court also sentenced Reang to three months in prison under Section 506 of the Indian Penal Code.
However, the court directed that both sentences will run concurrently. Therefore, the 20-year imprisonment remains the effective sentence.
Government lawyer Sudarshan Sharma later briefed journalists about the judgment and the details of the case.
The verdict brings the prolonged legal proceedings in the case to a close and provides a significant punishment in a sexual assault case involving a minor student.
