Man gets life imprisonment for sexually assaulting 5-yr-old girl

A 36-year-old man was sentenced to life imprisonment by a court in Maharashtra's Akola district for sexually assaulting a five-year-old girl.

In her verdict on Thursday, District Judge M I Ireland also imposed a fine of Rs five lakh on Prashant Ingle alias Guddu after convicting him under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The fine amount shall be paid to the victim, the court said.

On February 8, 2013, Ingle arrived at the girl's house in an inebriated condition when her father was away, according to the prosecution.

Her mother asked him to leave but when he refused, she went to the neighbour's house to seek help.

When she returned, she saw Ingle molesting the girl, public prosecutor Mangala Pandey said, adding that he also assaulted the woman when she tried to push him out of the house.

People gathered outside the house as she shouted for help and Ingle fled from the spot.

Murtijapur Police registered a case against him under the POCSO Act for sexually assaulting the girl, as well as under IPC section 354 for molesting the girl's mother.

The prosecution examined six witnesses to prove its case, Pandey said.