The District Judge and Sessions Court of Kendrapada Bijay Ketan Mohanty on Monday began the hearing on the trio accused in the rape and burning of Dalit minor girl Sujata Bairagi to ascertain whether they are juvenile or major.
Headmistress of Kharanashi ME school Srimati Sahu and clerk of Mahakalapada CHC appeared before the court on Monday and gave their statement before the court and produced school admission register and birth and death certificate register of Mahakalapada CHC as the court earlier had summoned them to submit the papers.
According to sources, Kharanashi UP school chief submitted school admission register to ascertain the age of Ekadashi Das whereas the school authority of Kharanashi ME School submitted the admission register to ascertain the age of Pradip Das and Gauranga Das.
But the public prosecutor appealed to the court to summon the concerned school authorities again to submit school admission register of class I to Class V to ascertain the age of the accused Gouranga Das and Pradip Das.
As a result, the next date of hearing will be made on coming October 7.
It may be noted here that the controversy over the age of accused came under judicial scrutiny following their family members claimed that their children were minor but the police allegedly produced them by showing their age between 19-20 years and sent them to jail.
The court, while admitting the petition, called for admission registers of the school where the accused had been enrolled as students in the past.
Bairagi of Kharanashi village was allegedly gang-raped and set ablaze by two youths on July 28 last. later, the girl succumbed to the burn injuries on August 8.