BALLIA: Five persons were convicted by a Ballia court on Monday for the 2022 assault and gang-rape of a teenage girl. They were sentenced to 25 years in prison with a fine of Rs 24,000 for each individual, a police officer said.Superintendent of police Omveer Singh stated that Special Judge Pratham Kant found all five accused guilty and passed the said verdict.According to the prosecution, the incident occurred on the evening of December 24, 2022, while the girl was walking home with a relative. The attackers allegedly brought her to an isolated location, gang-raped her, and issued death threats, news agency PTI reported.The accused have been identified as Manoj Yadav, Rakesh Yadav, Pankaj Yadav, Majeet Yadav alias Mukur, and Rohit Yadav; all are residents of the victim’s village.Following a complaint filed by the victim’s father, a case was registered against the five men under appropriate sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.A police investigation concluded with a charge sheet being filed against all five individuals.(With agency inputs)
