Sundargarh:  In a significant ruling, a PCSO court today convicted a man and sentenced him to life imprisonment for attempted rape and murder of a minor girl a few years back in Sundargarh district of Odisha.

The accused Sumit Minz was also slapped a fine of Rs 20,000 which on failure of payment would attract an additional year of imprisonment.

He was convicted for attempting to rape a minor girl and then stoning her to death when she resisted his advances. The incident had taken place at Kantabahal village within Talsara police limits on February 10, 2017.

Investigation revealed that the 11 year-old girl was playing with her friends when the accused forcefully took her away to an isolated area in a jungle. He then tried to force himself on her. When the girl resisted, he strangled her and then stoned her to death. He then took a sharp weapon and beheaded the body.