India: Court sentences man to death for raping minor in Punjab

Kapurthala (Punjab), Feb 10 (PTI) A fast track court here on Thursday awarded death sentence to a man for raping a seven-year-old girl.

Judge Rajwinder Kaur of Additional District and Sessions Court, which is the special Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) court, also directed the district legal services authority (DLSA) to give a compensation of Rs 8 lakh to the victim's family.

Mukesh Mandal, a 'jhuggi' (slum) dweller, had lured the girl, daughter of a migrant labourer, by offering biscuits and raped her near the Rail Coach Factory on March 15 last year. He also damaged her private parts with a rod.

The girl was rescued by administering timely treatment.

DLSA secretary Mahesh Kumar Sharma said Rs 2 lakh had already been given to the victim's family for her treatment and that the remaining amount of Rs 6 lakh will be transferred soon.