Hojai, Feb 11: The Hojai District Court in central Assam on Wednesday sentenced to death a man for raping and murdering a four-year-old girl a year ago.

The Additional District and Sessions Judge of Hojai district N. Chena Baya Deuri convicted Chandan alias Vikram Harijan for raping and murdering the minor girl under the Indian Penal Code and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012.

The Court also imposed a fine of Rs 5 lakh on the convict and the amount would be paid to the victim’s family as compensation.

On February 26, 2020, Vikram Harijan allured the girl with some gifts and took her to a lonely place when she was playing outside her house. The man then raped the girl before strangulating her to death.

The police filed the chargesheet before the court within two months of registering the case but the hearing was interrupted during the Covid-19 induced lockdown.