Bengal: E-rickshaw driver sentenced to life in jail for rape-murder of girl

Barasat (WB), Aug 27 (PTI) A POCSO court here on Wednesday sentenced an e-rickshaw driver to life imprisonment for the rape-murder of a girl who had hired his three-wheeler in Rajarhat New Town area near Kolkata.

The girl had left her house in a huff following a quarrel with her mother on February 6 evening and had later hired the e-rickshaw of Soumitra Roy at Jagatpur area to go back home at Gauranga Nagar, which is in the periphery of New Town in North 24 Parganas district.

The POCSO court at Barasat sentenced Roy to imprisonment till the end of his natural life.

The judge had on Monday declared Roy guilty under sections 103(1) (murder) and 65 (1) (committing rape on a girl under 16 years of age) under BNS.

Police arrested Roy on February 9, the prosecution lawyer said.

The prosecution proved the case against Roy on the basis of CCTV footage and other forensic reports during the trial, which was completed within seven months of the crime.

The incident had led to widespread protests, with the opposition parties questioning the law and order situation in West Bengal. PTI COR AMR MNB