Bhawanipatna, Nov 21: A local court in Odisha’s Kalahandi district has sentenced six individuals to life imprisonment for the gang rape of a woman in 2019.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Suresh Chandra Pradhan delivered the verdict on Wednesday after considering witness testimonies and evidence, said Public Prosecutor Purna Chandra Nag.
The convicted individuals are Lalindra Sabar, Labanya Chatria, Anirudha Chatria, Prakash Naik, Santa Naik, and Amit Naik. Three other accused, allegedly involved in the viral distribution of a video of the crime, were acquitted due to insufficient evidence.
According to the prosecution, the victim was returning home from Bhawanipatna town in September 2019 when Lalindra Sabar, an acquaintance, offered her a motorcycle ride. The group then proceeded to rape her in a nearby forest and recorded the act on video, which was subsequently shared on social media.
The Junagarh police initiated an investigation based on a complaint filed by the victim's parents and arrested the culprits.
