Assam Rifles jawan convicted under POCSO Act

KHONSA, 3 Jun: The special POCSO court here in Tirap district on Friday convicted one Barun Singh, an Assam Rifles jawan from Bihar, who was posted in Changlang during 2014.

On 22 January, 2014, Singh, with the help of another jawan, trespassed into the residence of a neighbour and forcibly kidnapped a minor girl and took her to the Assam Rifles campus, and thereafter attempted to commit gang rape upon her.

The POCSO court convicted him for the offence of house trespass, punishable under Section 447 IPC, kidnapping (under Section 365 IPC), attempt to commit gang rape (under Section 376 D/511 IPC), and sexual assault (under Section 8 of the POCSO Act).

While sentencing the convict, Special Judge H Kashyap said that “such heinous offence from a person employed in paramilitary force is not expected and the convict is not entitled to get any leniency in punishment.”

Singh has been sentenced to undergo simple imprisonment for three months for the offence under Section 447 IPC. He is also to undergo rigorous imprisonment for seven years for the offence under Section 365 IPC, and rigorous imprisonment for 10 years for the offence under Section 376D/511 IPC.

In addition to the sentences of imprisonment, he has been ordered to pay a fine, which will be given to the victim as cost for her rehabilitation.

The case has been further referred to the Changlang District Legal Services Authority for providing adequate compensation to the victim as provided under the Arunachal Pradesh Victim Compensation Scheme, 2011. (DIPRO)