Man awarded life sentence for raping 4-year-old

The victim’s mother had caught the accused red-handed in July 2018. Convict fined ₹1.5 lakh, which is to be paid to victim

A man who raped a four-year-old girl in his neighbourhood in July 2018 was sentenced to life imprisonment by a district court on Friday.

The court also imposed a fine of ₹1.5 lakh on the convict, Dharmendra, to be paid to the victim.

He was convicted under Section 376 AB (rape on woman under 12 years of age), 511 (attempting to commit offences punishable with imprisonment for life or other imprisonment) and 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) of the Indian Penal Code, and Section 6 (aggravated penetrative sexual assault) and 18 (attempt to commit an offence) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.

The victim’s mother, 23, had told the police that her husband was a labourer, and they lived in a rented accommodation with their three children in a Chandigarh village.

She alleged that on July 13, 2018, her eldest daughter, 4, was playing outside their house. When she checked on her daughter a short while later, she could not find her.

She then went looking for her in the neighbourhood, and soon heard her screams from one of the houses. When the woman rushed inside, she saw a middle-aged man trying to rape her daughter, whose head was bleeding. As she raised the alarm, neighbours gathered and nabbed the accused. He was later handed over to the police.

After medical examination of the victim, the accused was booked for rape.