Itanagar, May 28: A 22 year old man has been handed 20 years of rigorous imprisonment by a Special POCSO Court in Yupia for the rape of a 13 year old deaf-mute girl in Papum Pare district three years ago.

Delivering the verdict, Special Judge (POCSO) Dr Hirendra Kashyap found Doley guilty under Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and imposed a fine of Rs 20,000.

Special Public Prosecutor Kagam Bagra told the court the offence occurred on April 19, 2021. The minor had gone to graze cattle near Gumto when the accused allegedly followed her into a forested area and sexually assaulted her. After local residents informed the family, the victim’s father lodged an FIR at the Women Police Station in Itanagar.

The prosecution brought 12 witnesses before the court, including the survivor, her parents, eyewitnesses, medical officers, forensic experts, and the investigating team. Though the girl cannot speak, the court recorded that she communicated effectively through signs and gestures and identified Doley during her testimony.

Medical examination confirmed genital injuries indicating forceful penetration. The FSL report further noted that Doley could not be ruled out as the source of semen traced on the victim’s innerwear.

The defence counsel urged for a lighter sentence, pointing out that Doley was the only breadwinner in his family and had no previous offences. The prosecution stressed the survivor’s heightened vulnerability as a differently-abled minor and said the law demands stricter protection in such cases.

The judge held that while the matter was not “rarest of rare” to merit the death penalty, Doley did not qualify for probation.

The court instructed the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), Papum Pare, to extend compensation to the survivor under the Arunachal Pradesh Victim Compensation Act, 2011.