3 get life term for raping Jap

A special court in Bihar on Monday sentenced three men to life imprisonment for raping a 25-year-old Japanese woman near Bodh Gaya, just 26 days after it first started hearing the case.

A special court in Bihar on Monday sentenced three men to life imprisonment for raping a 25-year-old Japanese woman near Bodh Gaya, just 26 days after it first started hearing the case.

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Gaya District and Sessions Judge Jayant Kumar Sen also imposed a Rs 10,000 fine on each of them, prosecution lawyer Vimal Kishor Prasad said.

The court had convicted Uday Kumar, Anuj Kumar alias Lutan and Pappu Kumar earlier in the day.

Prasad said the court sentenced the three accused in a record time of 26 days after the speedy trial began in the case. The trial began in the court April 22, a day after police filed a chargesheet against the three accused.

Rajan Yadav and Pintu Yadav, two other accused, are absconding.

On April 16, five people, including an autorickshaw driver, allegedly raped the woman when she was on her way to the Gaya railway station. Shocked over the incident, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had announced that a speedy trial would be carried out.

Thousands of tourists visit Bodh Gaya, about 110 km from here, where Buddha got enlightenment under a Bodhi tree.