Odisha: Man gets death sentence for raping, murdering minor girl in Mayurbhanj

A local court on Wednesday awarded capital punishment to a man for raping and murdering a minor girl in 2018.

Baripada Additional District Judge Court pronounced the death sentence for the accused Jaminikant Mohanta, a resident of Betanati area in the district.

The 35-year-old man was accused of raping an eight-year-old tribal girl and brutally killing her in June last year.

Mahanta, an acquaintance of the girl, had taken her for a cycle ride on the pretext of watching Raja festivities but he took her to a jungle instead where he committed the crime.

"The court has found the accused guilty of raping and murdering the girl. He took her to the jungle where he raped and murdered her by strangulating her. The court considered it a heinous crime and awarded death penalty to him," Special Public Prosecutor Avinna Pattnayak told ANI.

It is the first conviction under the POCSO Act in Mayurbhang district, he said.