Daijiworld Media Network - Kolkata

Kolkata, Dec 19: A trial court in West Bengal’s West Midnapore district on Friday sentenced three men to life imprisonment for the gang rape of a woman in a forested area of Garbeta in August 2020. One of the convicts was the woman’s fiancé, who had lured her to the spot under false pretences.

According to the prosecution, the prime accused, Suraj Soren, took the victim to a forest area claiming they would solemnise their marriage at a nearby temple. Once there, he, along with his associates Dasharath Mandi and Kisan Mandi, sexually assaulted her. A fourth accused, who was a minor at the time of the crime, was tried separately by a juvenile court.

Public prosecutor Debasish Maiti said the court found the three adult accused guilty under Section 376(D) of the erstwhile Indian Penal Code, which deals with gang rape. Along with life imprisonment, the court imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on each of the convicts.

The court also directed the West Bengal government to provide compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the survivor. During the course of the trial, which extended for nearly five years, statements from 13 witnesses were recorded.

The verdict comes amid continued national focus on crimes against women in West Bengal. Over the past year, the state has witnessed several high-profile cases of rape, gang rape and rape-cum-murder. Among the most notable was the brutal assault and killing of a junior doctor at Kolkata’s R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in August last year.

The lone convict in that case, Sanjay Roy, a former civic volunteer with the Kolkata Police, is currently serving a life sentence at the Presidency Central Correctional Home in south Kolkata.