Darjeeling man gets lifer for rape of minor girl

SNS, Darjeeling, 11 December 2014: The Darjeeling Sessions Court today sentenced a man to life in prison for raping an 11-year-old girl. On 13 November, 2012, the girl from Darjeeling was playing the ‘bhaileni’ during the Tihar/Diwali festival when Krishna Kumar Gurung, 30, snatched her and raped her.

Two others~Binod Chettri and Deo Kumar Gurung--were also present when the crime was being committed. The trio was arrested the next day when some people of the locality found about the incident and complained to the police. 

Police had registered a case and started investigations on the basis of the complaint, Public Prosecutor Pranai Rai said today. 

“Additional Sessions Judge, Mr Partha Pratim Chakrobarty, pronounced the verdict in the final form on 11 December, 2014,” Mr Rai said. 

According to him, the court examined 26 witnesses in the case. He added that Gurung was sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for life and fined Rs 1 lakh. 

“If he fails to pay the amount, he will have to stay for two extra years in jail. Deo Kumar Gurung and Binod Chettri were found guilty for being present while the crime was being committed and was fined Rs 10,000 each in default and sentenced to three years in prison,” Mr Rai said.