Bhubaneswar, Jul 15: A Fast Track Special Court in Odisha's Jagatsinghpur district on Tuesday sentenced three persons to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment in connection with a gang rape case reported in the Tirtol area of the district in 2024.

The three convicts were awarded rigorous imprisonment under Sections 376D and 506 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The court also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on each of them.

Sharing the details of the case, the Odisha Police on Tuesday informed that, on the evening of February 3, 2024, a 29-year-old woman was gang-raped near the Nimakana Railway Station under the Tirtol Police Station limits in Jagatsinghpur district.

Acting on the case registered at Tirtol Police Station on the basis of the complaint lodged by the victim woman, the police launched a detailed investigation into the incident and initiated steps to identify and apprehend the accused persons.

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Considering the sensitive nature of the case and its seriousness, the investigation was subsequently taken over by the Crime Against Women and Children Wing (CAW&CW) of Odisha Police, Bhubaneswar.

Meanwhile, the police arrested the accused trio for their involvement in this heinous crime. They were identified as Ranjan Kumar Sila (26), Biswaranjan Naik (29), and Suresh Kumar Behera (40) of the Tirtol Police Station area. The Deputy Superintendent of Police, CAW&CW, Iman Kalyan Nayak, led the investigation and filed the charge sheet in court.

The Odisha Police stated that based on this charge sheet and strong evidence produced during the trial, the court on Tuesday convicted all the accused and pronounced the sentence. Earlier, the court had also directed that financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh be provided to the victim under the Odisha Victim Compensation Scheme.

"This successful conviction reaffirms the commitment of Odisha Police and its Crime Against Women and Children Wing to conduct scientific, professional, and victim-centric investigations into crimes against women and children, ensuring swift legal punishment for the perpetrators," emphasised the Odisha Police.

(IANS)