INDIA: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR RAPE AND MURDER OF 3-YEAR-OLD

March 12, 2024:

A court in Haryana state on February 21, 2024 sentenced to death a 25- year-old man for the rape and murder of a three-year-old girl in 2018, police said. The court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Shashi Chauhan also imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on the accused, they said. The court awarded Rs 10 lakh compensation for rehabilitation to the victim's family, police said.
Investigation Officer Suman Sura submitted the challan after a meticulous one-month investigation into the case of the accused.
Police had announced an award Rs 2 lakh on the accused. Sura welcome the court's ruling. "I firmly believe that justice has been served by the honorable court in this heinous crime," said Sura.
Special Prosecutor Sunil Parmar said that a youth from Uttar Pradesh had raped and brutally murdered a threeyear-old girl in Sector 65 police station area on November 11, 2018. The incident took place when three girls were playing outside their house, he added.
Parmar said that the accused lured the girls with money. Two girls were not ready to go, but he took a three-yearold girl with him, he added. When the girl did not return home till evening, her parents began searching for her and lodged a complaint, police
The girl's body was found in a mutilated condition next day in front of a temple in the area, they said. While there were cut marks on the girl's body, her face was crushed with a brick, police said.
The girl's private part was also found badly injured, they said.
A case was registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) Act and sections of murder and rape, police said. The accused was arrested and the girl's clothes and other evidence were recovered, they said. The accused was lodged in the Bhondsi Jail post his arrest, police said.
"The prosecution presented strong evidence and witnesses in the court. CCTV footage was also presented in the court in which the accused was seen taking the girl away. The court took this matter seriously and considered all the aspects," Parmar said. "He was declared guilty on February 3 and the verdict on his punishment was reserved. The court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Shashi Chauhan on February 21 sentenced the accused," he added.