Berhampur: A fast-track Pocso court here on Tuesday awarded death penalty to a 65-year-old man from Kandhamal district for burning his 12-year-old niece to death last year, while acquitting him of rape charges for lack of evidence.Pronouncing the sentence, judge Rohit Lal Panda held the case to be among the “rarest of rare” and ordered that the convict, be “hanged till death”, said special public prosecutor Siba Prasad Mishra. The death sentence is subject to confirmation by Orissa high court.The incident occurred at the victim’s house in Bidyanagar under Baidyanathpur police limits on April 25 last year, where the accused allegedly poured kerosene on the girl and set her on fire. She later succumbed to her injuries. The accused was arrested next day. Although there were allegations of sexual assault preceding the murder, the court acquitted the accused of rape charges citing insufficient evidence.Mishra said the court based its conviction on the testimony of 13 witnesses, including doctors and police officials. The accused was convicted on Monday, with sentencing delivered a day later.District public prosecutor Biswajit Baral said the detailed reasoning behind invoking the “rarest of rare” doctrine would become clear after examining the full judgment copy.
