Thu Nov 21 00:33:00 UTC 2024: ## Autorickshaw Driver Sentenced to Life Imprisonment for Rape and Kidnapping of 14-Year-Old

**Bengaluru, November 21, 2024** – A Chickballapur District Sessions Court today sentenced Raju Das, an autorickshaw driver, to life imprisonment for the kidnapping and rape of a 14-year-old girl in June 2020. Das, a friend of the victim’s father, lured the girl into his autorickshaw and took her to an isolated location where he raped her. He subsequently took her to his friend’s house in Madanapalli, Andhra Pradesh, and raped her again.

The victim’s mother reported her missing to the Kenchanahalli police, prompting an investigation that led to the girl’s recovery in Madanapalli. Das was arrested and charged with kidnapping, rape, and violations of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.

Following his arrest, Das was granted interim bail and fled to Andhra Pradesh. However, police apprehended him earlier this year and he remained in judicial custody until his conviction today. The court’s decision brings a conclusion to a case that spanned several years and involved a protracted manhunt for the perpetrator.

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