Special POCSO court in Katghora sentences man to life for attempted rape and murder of minor girl

Raipur: The fast track special court (POCSO) in Katghora on Thursday sentenced a 21-year-old man to life imprisonment for attempting to rape a three-and-a-half-year-old girl and killing her by strangulation. District and additional sessions Judge Shraddha Shukla Sharma pronounced the judgment.
According to additional public prosecutor Rakesh Jaiswal, the minor was playing with her two sisters and a friend in front of her house in Damaumuda Halmukam Chhindpani, under the Pali police station area of Katghora tehsil in Korba, when the accused, Arjun Dhanuhar, 21, lured her away by offering some edible items.He took her to a nearby secluded house, where he attempted to rape her and then strangled her to death. The incident occurred on October 22, 2021.
The court convicted Arjun under Section 376/511 of the IPC and Section 6 of the POCSO Act.
The additional public prosecutor further explained that the accused initially called the victim while she was playing and asked her to bring ‘gudakhu’ from a nearby shop. After she brought it, he took her back to the shop, gave her some edible items, and then led her to an under-construction house where he attempted to rape her. He then strangled her to death and left her body in the house.
When the young girl did not return home with her sisters, the family began searching for her and eventually discovered her body in the under-construction house. The family immediately registered an FIR at the Pali police station. The police filed the charge sheet in court.