Itanagar: A special Pocso court in Arunachal Pradesh has awarded death penalty to a man for repeatedly raping his minor niece in 2019 while escorting the girl to her sister’s home in Doimukh, describing the crime as ‘rarest of rare’.Special judge (Pocso) Dr Hirendra Kashyap convicted the 44-year-old man under Sections 376(2)(f) and 506 of the IPC read with Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act, holding that the accused, being the victim’s uncle, had exploited a position of trust to commit the crime.The prosecution led by special public prosecutor Kagam Bagra said the accused, entrusted by the family to escort her, allegedly diverted the vehicle to an isolated stretch, threatened her with a machete, and raped her in a roadside jungle.The court said the accused committed sexual assault on the child twice — first in the jungle and later behind a bus stop. He then fled after threatening her with dire consequences if she disclosed the incident.The victim later narrated the ordeal to her family, following which an FIR was lodged.The case has been referred to the Gauhati High Court for confirmation of the death sentence.
