Public Prosecutor Sudarshan Sharma said that a special Pocso court in North Tripura’s district headquarters Dharmanagar also slapped a fine of Rs 25,000 on both of them, failing which they would remain in jail for an additional eight months.

The police arrested the duo after an FIR was lodged at the Dharmanagar Women police station in February 2022.

Investigating officer Usharani Debnath filed the charge sheet before the court in two months and after a two-year trial, the court pronounced the judgement under Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act, Sharma said.

The Public Prosecutor said that the complaint was lodged after the victim was raped by both brothers when, on her way back from school, she went to their home for a glass of water. Both the families of the victim and convicts were familiar with each other and the rape survivor used to call the convicts' mother "grandmother", he said.

"The convicts’ mother was not at home when the victim went to their house. Taking advantage of the survivor being alone at that time, the perpetrators committed the crime," Sharma said.

The girl subsequently became pregnant and delivered a baby several months later. Earlier, the same special POCSO court found guilty two persons for the rape and murder of a minor girl in June 2019 and handed down a death sentence.