The district and session judge cum special court of POCSO Act in West Singhbhum, Jharkhand, has pronounced a verdict sentencing five individuals to life imprisonment for their involvement in the gang rape of a woman software engineer. The judgment was delivered on Wednesday (29 May).

Jharkhand News: Gang Rape Occurred near the Aerodrome

The heinous crime took place near the airport under the jurisdiction of Muffasil police station area in Chaibasa. The five convicted individuals have been sentenced to life imprisonment under section 376 (D) of the IPC. Additionally, they have been fined Rs. 10,000 each for offenses registered under sections 395, 377, 412, and 376 of the IPC.

Five Accused Were Minors, Trial Ongoing in Juvenile Court

The convicted individuals are identified as Suren Devgam (20), Shivshankar Karji alias Baj (22), Purmi Devgam alias Seti (19), Prakash Devgam alias Dembo (21), and Soma Sinku alias Petra (19), all residents of Salihatu village in the Muffasil police station area of Chaibasa. Additionally, five minors are also accused in this case, and their trial is underway in the Juvenile Court.

Crime Committed by 10 People on October 20, 2022

The incident occurred on October 20, 2022, when the victim was out for a walk with her friend near the Chaibasa aerodrome. At approximately 7 pm, the accused intercepted them, assaulted the male companion, and proceeded to gang-rape the woman. Subsequently, all accused were arrested on October 22 and remanded to custody.

Utilization of Technical and Forensic Assistance

Following the swift action by the police, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed under the direction of SP Ashutosh Shekhar, which successfully solved the case and apprehended all the accused. The investigation team leveraged assistance from forensic and technical experts, including mobile tower data analysis, to gather crucial evidence.