Balasore (Odisha), Dec 3 (PTI) A local court in Balasore district Tuesday sentenced a man to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for abducting and raping a minor girl in 2022.

Special POCSO judge Ranjan Kumar Sutar, relying upon 22 witnesses and 40 exhibits, sentenced the 26-year-old accused, along with a fine of Rs 6,000, special public prosecutor Pranab Kumar Panda said.

Also Read | Gurugram Horror: Man Brutally Beaten to Death by Brother-in-Law in Noorpur Village, Held.

In default of the payment, the convict has to undergo another two-year jail term, he said.

According to the prosecution, the case was reported from a village in Simulia area, where the accused kidnapped the 16-year-old girl from her house on January 19, 2022 and raped her.

Also Read | Sambhal Violence: Akhilesh Yadav Alleges Well-Planned Conspiracy Behind Stone Pelting Incident Over Shahi Jama Masjid Survey by BJP, Rahul Gandhi-Led Congress Team to Visit on December 4 Amid Curbs.

The family members lodged an FIR after failing to trace the girl.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)