Dumka: A Pakur court on Tuesday sentenced nine men to rigorous imprisonment for the remainder of their natural lives in a gang rape case of a 19-year-old woman in 2024.Additional sessions judge-I Kumar Kranti Prasad convicted the nine under Section 376D of the IPC and imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on each. Failure to pay the fine will result in an additional year of simple imprisonment. The convicts are aged between 22 and 34 years.According to the prosecution, the crime took place on June 1, 2024, when the survivor was accosted at an isolated spot. The assailants restrained the person accompanying her, forcibly took her into nearby bushes and raped her.The prosecution examined six witnesses during the trial. The defence sought leniency on the ground that some of the convicts were young, but the court rejected the plea.The court observed that protecting the safety and dignity of women is a collective responsibility of a civilised society and said stringent punishment for such heinous crimes should serve as a deterrent.The court directed that the fine amount be provided to the survivor and asked the District Legal Services Authority, Pakur, to provide additional compensation under the victim compensation scheme.
