Burdwan, Jan. 22: A fast-track court today sentenced a youth to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment for attacking a girl who refused his advances. He was also fined Rs 10,000 for the assault in which the girl’s mother, too, was injured.

Sujit Das, the additional district and sessions judge of the court in Katwa sub-division, found Khokan Mukherjee guilty of attacking Mala Banerjee and her mother Gana Devi with a chopper at their residence in October 1993. He will have to remain in prison for another six months if he fails to pay the fine.

Police said Khokan, who was harassing Mala regularly though she had turned down his proposal for marriage, went to her residence in the evening of October 10 and repeatedly flashed a torch on her face. When she raised an alarm, Khokan rushed into the house with a chopper and attacked them.

Mala’s left palm was severed at the wrist and her mother was also hurt when she tried to resist him.

After treatment in a hospital, Mala had lodged a complaint against Kokhan in Katwa police station. The culprit was arrested, but let off on bail after 14 days in police custody.