Coaching Centre Owner Gets 20 Years’ RI for Assaulting Minor Student in Kendujhar

Kendujhar: A Special POCSO Court in Odisha’s Kendujhar district has sentenced a coaching centre owner to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for sexually assaulting a seven-year-old girl enrolled at his institute. The court also directed that the survivor be awarded ₹10 lakh as compensation.

The judgment was delivered on Saturday by Additional District Judge-cum-Special Judge (POCSO) Monali Samanti, who found the accused, Gautam Mohanty, guilty under the relevant provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Apart from the jail sentence, the court imposed a fine of ₹2,000. If the amount is not paid, the convict will have to serve an additional one year of imprisonment.

According to Public Prosecutor Sanjay Kumar Paikray, the incident occurred in August 2025 in the Harichandanpur area, where Mohanty ran a private coaching centre. The victim, a seven-year-old girl, was attending classes at the institute when the offence allegedly took place.

The matter came to light after the child disclosed the incident to her family. A village meeting was reportedly convened, during which the accused was questioned and is said to have admitted his involvement. The victim’s family later lodged a formal complaint with Harichandanpur Police Station, leading to the registration of a case and the arrest of the accused.

During the trial, the prosecution presented evidence through 15 witnesses. After examining witness testimonies and documentary evidence, the court held the accused guilty and awarded the sentence.

In addition to the prison term, the court ordered that the minor survivor receive ₹10 lakh in compensation to support her rehabilitation and welfare.