Mangaluru: A laborer in Mangaluru, identified as Shrikanth Hanumanth Hardolli from Bagalkot, has been sentenced by Additional District and Sessions Judge FTSC-1 Judge Manjula Itty to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment, along with a fine of Rs 10,000. The charges stem from his heinous act of sexually assaulting and impregnating a minor girl.

The incident took place in April and May 2019 when the accused took advantage of the girl's vulnerability while she was alone at the shed where her family was residing. Exploiting the situation further, he took her nude photographs and subsequently blackmailed her into silence.

The gravity of the situation was realized when the girl fell ill at school, leading to a medical examination that confirmed her pregnancy. The DNA test report presented during the trial matched the samples of the accused, further solidifying the case presented by the Special Public Prosecutor, Jyothi Pramod Nayak.

Following the birth of the survivor's child, a complaint was filed at the Bajpe police station on August 14, 2019, leading to an investigation led by ACP Shrinivas Gowda R and a subsequent charge sheet with 36 witnesses presented by ACP Belliappa K U.

In light of the trauma endured by the survivor, the court also directed the government to provide a compensation of Rs 10.5 lakh to aid in her recovery and rehabilitation.