Phulbani: A local court awarded life imprisonment to a 30-year-old man on Saturday for raping and murdering a nine-year-old girl four years ago in Khandhamal district.
Phulbani Pocso court judge Bhaskar Chandra Sahu also imposed a fine of Rs 2 lakh on the convict, special public prosecutor Banamali Behera said.
The court directed the District Legal Services Authority to grant a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the family of the girl.
On September 22, 2018, the convict, a truck driver, dragged the girl to a nearby cashew orchard, and raped and strangled her.
The judgment was based on the statements of 21 witnesses, and medical reports.