Bhubaneswar, April 11 -- A special court in Angul district of Odisha has awarded capital punishment to a 40-year-old man for the rape and murder of a four-year-old girl that took place last year.

The Additional District Judge-cum-Special POCSO Court on Friday convicted Babula Jena, a resident of Dehury Sahi in Jereng village under Jarapada police limits, holding him guilty beyond reasonable doubt. 

He was reportedly sentenced under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including Sections 137(2) for kidnapping, 103(1) for murder, 65(2) for rape of a girl below 12 years, and 238(a) for destruction of evidence, along with Section 6 of the POCSO Act relating to aggravated penetrative sexual assault. 

Although he had ...