13 convicted for Labhpur gang-rape

‘Kangaroo court’ ordered woman to be punished

13 accused of gang-rape including Moral Balai Mardi after they were convicted at Bolpur in Birbhum district on Friday. PHOTO: PTI

Eight months after the gang-rape of a 20-year-old woman following an order by a >‘kangaroo court’ at Labhpur in West Bengal’s Birbhum district created a nationwide outrage, a district court on Friday convicted 13 persons of gang-rape among other charges.

“The court of Additional District Judge, Birbhum, has found all 13 persons guilty of charges under sections 376 ( D) of gang-rape, 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), and 342 (wrongful confinement) of the Indian Penal Code,” Mohd Shamshul Zoha, public prosecutor told The Hindu over telephone from Birbhum.

12 tribals

Mr Zoha said that the 13 accused include the village morol (headman) Balai Maddi of Subalpur village who had given the punishment to the victim. While 12 accused in the case are tribals, one is a non-tribal.

During the course of investigation the court examined 31 witnesses including the woman, medical experts and police officers.

“It is interesting that the trial could be completed within eight months of filing the police complaint.

The incident occurred on January 20, 2014 and the FIR was lodged on January 22,” the advocate said.

The minimum punishment to the accused under Section 376(D) is 20 years and maximum is life imprisonment, Mr Zoha said.

Quantum of sentence The quantum of sentence will be pronounced on Saturday, he added.

The victim was subjected to the torture for allegedly having relations with a man of another community.

Following the incident she could not return to the village and the State administration made arrangements for her stay at an alternate location.