Courts sentences minor’s rapist, murderer to death

BHUBANESWAR - A court in Orissa’s Ganjam district Monday sentenced a man to death for raping and murdering an eight year old girl three years ago, officials said.

District and Sessions Judge Raghubir Das handed down capital punishment to A. Chandraya, 43, after convicting him, in Berhampur town, some 180 km from here, public prosecutor H.K Pradhan said.

Chandraya, a resident of Dayapalli village in the district, accompanied the girl to a local community feast Dec 24, 2007 night, on her fathers request.

While returning from the feast, he forcibly took her to a secluded place on the outskirts of the village and raped her. Later, Chandraya stoned her to death to eliminate all evidence of his crime.

However, he was arrested after police recovered the girl’s body the next day.