Seven-year RI for raping minor

KOLHAPUR, Jan 1: Additional sessions judge Ashok Pedgaonkar today sentenced a person to seven years imprisonment for raping a minor and imposed a fine of Rs 500 on him. Two other accused in the case were sentenced to six months imprisonment and a fine of Rs 200 each.

The incident was reported from Gadhinglaj on December 30, 1997. Prime accused in the case Bhairu Gundap raped the girl from Sankeshwar in the neighbouring Belgaum district of Karnataka.

The girl had left her house after an argument with her parents and was on her way to her relatives in Nesari. Gundap approached her at Gadhinglaj ST stand and told her that there was no bus going to Nesari in the night. He persuaded her to stay at his place. But he raped her in the nearby farms and left her at the ST stand. Later, she was again raped by Hrushikesh Bidre and Sanjay Devarde.