A local court has sentenced a man to 10 years in prison for raping a 15-year-old Dalit girl in Budhana town of Uttar Pradesh four years ago.

Additional district sessions judge Vir Singh Rana also imposed a fine of Rs 2000 after finding Naeem guilty under sections 376 (rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code.

The minor belonging to the Dalit community was raped at gunpoint by Naeem when he had gone to work in a brick kiln in Budhana near Muzaffarnagar on 16 November 2002, according to the prosecution.

He also threatened her with dire consequences if she disclosed the matter to anyone. The police registered a case against Naeem under the Scheduled Caste Atrocities (Prevention) Act. The court, however, acquitted him of the charge.