: The Special Court (POCSO Act) in Agra has sentenced a man to seven years in prison and imposed a fine of ₹ 25,000 for raping a six-year-old girl on temple premises in May 2025.
The accused, Pavitra alias Pammi, was booked under sections 65(2) (rape of a girl below 12 years of age) and 62 (attempt to commit an offence) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and relevant provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act at Jagdishpura police station on May 19, 2025. Police filed the chargesheet on July 25, 2025, about two months after the case was registered. Recording of evidence began on August 20, 2025. The court held the accused guilty on September 11, 2026, and pronounced the sentence on September 15.
The offence had allegedly taken place a day earlier. Additional sessions judge Sonika Chaudhary passed the order on Tuesday.
During the hearing on punishment, the defence argued that it was the accused’s first offence. However, Assistant District Government Counsel (ADGC) Subhash Giri argued that the victim was an innocent six-year-old girl and that the accused deserved the strictest punishment. The special judge (POCSO Court), Sonika Chaudhary, observed that although young girls are considered ‘devi’ in Indian society, society has failed to provide basic security to young girls even at holy places such as temples. The court also observed that the crime was committed by a person known to the victim and that such incidents leave a lifelong scar on the minds of innocent young girls.
