India | POCSO Court Sentences Man to Death For Rape, Murder Of Minor In Odisha

Bargarh: A POCSO court in Odisha's Bargarh district on Tuesday sentenced a youth to death for the rape and murder of a seven-year-old girl around 14 months ago.

The court convicted the accused, Prashanta Bag (35), under two sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Justice Kiran Kumar Pradhan also directed the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) to provide a compensation of Rs 15 lakh to the victim's family, public prosecutor Dyutish Acharya said.

The incident occurred on November 15, 2024 and villagers found the body of the minor girl in Soda forests under Paikamal police station area of Bargarh. Villagers informed the police following which, investigations were launched and a 35-year-old man was detained. During interrogation, Bagh confessed that he had raped and killed the minor.

Investigations revealed that Bagh, a farm labourer, took three children from Paikmal police station area to an isolated place on the pretext of catching fish. He later sent two minors home and lured the victim to the forest, where he raped her and brutally killed her.

Rallies were taken out across Bargarh demanding death penalty for the accused.

Padmapur Investigating Officer Mamta Nayak filed the chargesheet within 20 days of the incident and subsequently, submitted all forensic and medical evidence. Finally, court pronounced its verdict based on the statement of 37 witnesses and 55 documents.

The accused was convicted of kidnapping, rape and murder on December 26, 2025 but Justice Kiran Kumar Pradhan, ADJ cum Special court under POCSO, pronounced the death sentence today.

Government prosecutor Dyutish Acharya said, "This was a heinous crime, where the accused brutally murdered the minor girl after raping her. Police arrested the accused on suspicion after the two minors said they last saw the victim with Bagh. He also confessed to the crime. A demand for death penalty was made and the court accepted it."

Bargarh SP Prahlad Sahai Meena said, "The case of rape and murder of the minor girl took place on November 15, 2024. Police filed the charge sheet within 20 days and the convict was sentenced to death today."

Source: etvbharat.com, Staff, January 6, 2026

"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,
but by the punishments that the good have inflicted."

— Oscar Wilde

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