Man gets death penalty for rape-murder of 5-year-old girl in Assam

The body of the girl, which was buried near a pond, was later recovered following the arrest of the accused.

Updated on: Dec 22, 2020, 08:03:34 IST

Hindustan Times, Guwahati | By Utpal Parashar

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A court in Assam on Monday awarded death penalty to a man for the rape and murder of a five-year-old girl two years ago.

The additional district and sessions court in Biswanath district sentenced Mangal Paik to death for the crime committed in December 2018 near Dikorai tea garden under Sootea police station.

The accused, a relative of the victim, had lured her away from her house on the pretext of giving her chocolates and had raped and killed her in a nearby jungle.

The body of the girl, which was buried near a pond, was later recovered following the arrest of the accused.

“This court held the accused guilty of the charges of rape and murder under several sections of IPC and POCSO and sentenced Paik to death,” prosecution lawyer Jahnabi Kalita told journalists outside the court after the verdict.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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