Muzaffarnagar, Jun 22 (IANS): A POCSO court in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar has sentenced two retired government school teachers to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for gang-raping a nine-year-old girl in March 2022.

Additional district government counsel (ADGC) Dinesh Kumar Sharma said that Raj Kumar Sharma 72, a retired government school teacher, used to run a school in the girl's locality.

He was the principal of the school and Udaypal Dhiman, 65, another retired teacher, used to teach there.

They assaulted the minor on March 2, 2022. Subsequently, a case was registered against them at the Nagar Kotwali police station.

He added that they were arrested and sent to jail after being produced before the magistrate.

Based on the girl's testimony, backed by her medical report, the court gave the verdict within 15 months and 18 days.

Special additional sessions court (POCSO Act) judge Baburam, who heard the case, also fined them Rs 50,000 each.

"An FIR was registered against the accused principal under various sections of IPC, including 376D (gang-rape), and POCSO Act following a complaint by the girl's father," said a police official.