A fast-track court in Orissa on Thursday awarded death penalty to a man three months after he abducted, raped and murdered a three-year-old girl.
Delivering the sentence in a crowded court in Sambalpur, about 300 km from here, additional district and sessions judge Ashok Kumar Panda also imposed a fine of `5,000 on accused Thidu Munda, 30.
The court said death sentence will be executed after confirmation by the high court.
This is the second capital punishment sentence in three months in Sambalpur district in a similar case.
“The court found Munda guilty of kidnapping, raping and murdering the minor victim on January 11 but had reserved the pronouncement of sentence,” public prosecutor Subrat Kumar Mohanty said.
According to prosecution, on October 4, Munda kidnapped the victim from her village, Budhiapali, on the pretext of treating her with some sweets. He then took her to a river bed and raped her, before strangulating the victim to death.
The decomposed body of the girl was found four days later while the police arrested Munda on October 13. Defence lawyer Nilambar Saraf said his client appeal in the high court against the order.
“There is no eyewitness in the case. The court delivered its case basing on circumstantial evidences. We will certainly go to the HC against the case,” Mr Saraf said. Earlier on October 8, Sambapur district and sessions judge Bibhu Prasad Routray had convicted and awarded to a 28-year-old youth for raping and murdering an eight-year-old girl. On September 2, the convict Pradip Dalei had lured the innocent girl from a slum in Sambalpur on the pretext of treating her with noodles.