Man sentenced to 20 years’ rigorous imprisonment for sexually assaulting minor

MP, Oct 8, 2026, Siliguri: The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Court in Siliguri has convicted a man for sexually assaulting a six-year-old girl and sentenced him to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs 30,000 on the convict, with an additional six months of imprisonment in case of non-payment.

The convict, identified as Sunil Oraon, has also been directed to pay Rs 6 lakh as compensation to the survivor.

According to the prosecution Sunanda Sarkar, the incident dates back to August 2024, when Oraon allegedly brought the girl from Himachal Pradesh to his residence in Kharibari after assuring an acquaintance that he would provide her with better opportunities and education.

On September 29, Oraon’s wife, Laxmi Oraon, allegedly witnessed him sexually assaulting the child. She subsequently approached Kharibari Police Station and lodged a complaint against her husband on September 30.

Acting on the complaint, police arrested Sunil under POCSO Act.

During the trial, the prosecution examined around 16 witnesses.

After nearly two years of proceedings, the court convicted Oraon based on the evidence and witness statements presented before it.

Siliguri POCSO Court prosecutor said: “After learning about the incident, Oraon’s wife contacted a local NGO and subsequently informed the police.”