48-yr-old widow gang-raped in Sukma: Fast track court sentences 3 to life imprisonment

RAIPUR: The Special Fast Track Court of Dantewada has sentenced three individuals to life imprisonment after convicting them in a gang-rape case involving a 48-year-old widow in the Supnar police station area of Sukma district.
The accused in the gang-rape case are Maandvi Ganga, 30; Kawasi Ganga, 19; and Shankar Kachhiya, 28, all residents of Supnar, Sukma.
The victim filed a complaint against the accused with the Sukma police station, alleging that on September 10, 2023, the accused entered her house with liquor and consumed it while seated in her home.When she objected, they left the premises. Later that day, she went to graze her goats on the banks of the Supnar river, where she encountered the accused again, who were still consuming liquor.
According to the victim's complaint to the police, the accused forcibly made her consume liquor and then raped her. Hearing the victim's screams, a woman named H Mandvi rushed to the scene. Upon seeing Mandvi approaching, the accused fled. The police registered a case against the accused under Section 376 of the IPC and presented the charge-sheet in court. Following their conviction under Section 376, the trio was sentenced to life imprisonment and fined Rs 1,000 each. Failing to pay the fine would result in an additional one-year imprisonment.
The case was heard by fast track court judge Shailesh Sharma, while additional public prosecutor Neelima Verma represented the victim.