Bengal gang rape: 13 sentenced to 20 years in jail

The woman was gang raped in January, following the orders of a kangaroo court which found her “guilty” of having an affair with a man outside her community.

Kolkata - A West Bengal court on Saturday sentenced 13 people convicted of raping a tribal woman in Birbhum district of the state to 20 years rigorous imprisonment.

The 20-year-old woman was gang-raped in January in Subalpur village in the district, following the orders of a kangaroo court which found her “guilty” of having an affair with a man outside her community.

“The court of Bolpur additional district judge Siddarth Roychowdhury sentenced all the 13 accused to 20 years rigorous imprisonment. All the accused were convicted of gang-rape, assault and wrongful confinement,” public prosecutor Shamsul Zoha said.

During the course of the trial, the court examined 31 witnesses, including medical experts and police officers.

The court also directed the district administration to take care of the dependents, if any, of the 13 accused which includes the village headman who had ordered the gang-rape.

The incident had led to nationwide outrage.