Recently, a POCSO court in Pune sentenced a 65-year-old man to death for raping and murdering a 3-year-old girl. The sheer brutality of the crime led the court to describe it as one of the "rarest of the rare" cases. The trial was completed in less than 60 days. This has been widely reported as one of the fastest trials in the state's judicial history for a crime of this nature.

Death Penalty for Accused in 3-Year-Old's Rape and Murder
Death Penalty for Accused in 3-Year-Old's Rape and Murder (Source: The Times of India)

About the Incident

The incident occurred on May 1 in Nasrapur village, Pune district. The accused, a father of seven married daughters and a son, spotted the 3-year-old girl sitting outside a temple while she was travelling to her maternal house. He lured her onto his motorcycle by promising to show her a newborn calf and offer her some snacks. He then took her to a cattle shed, where he raped and murdered her.

To keep other children away from the site, the accused pelted bricks at them. By 4:00 PM that evening, the victim's grandmother grew worried and began searching for her. Searchers later discovered the girl's body in the cattle shed. Reports indicate that the accused continued to assault the victim even after her death. The police arrested him shortly after the discovery.

Investigation Behind the Death Penalty Verdict

The police registered a case against the accused and filed a chargesheet within sixteen days. CCTV footage captured his entry and exit from the crime scene. While no eyewitnesses were found to the assault, the police interrogated local villagers. Further, they reviewed the accused's criminal record.

The accused confessed to the crime. Officials also noted that individuals had accused him of similar assaults in the past. The police documented the extreme brutality of the rape, noting that the attacker had gagged the victim's mouth with her own leggings, causing a white substance to discharge from her nose. The victim suffered severe injuries to her face, chest, and private parts with extensive blood clotting. The forensic report concluded that the victim died of asphyxia caused by gagging and smothering combined with homicidal blunt force trauma to the chest.

The report also confirmed recent sexual assault, including vaginal and anal penetration, and identified seminal discharge on the body. 18 injuries inflicted by both blunt and sharp objects were documented. DNA analysis conclusively matched the accused to samples found on the child.

POSCO Court's Verdict: Death Penalty Awarded for Rape-Murder

The prosecution demanded the death sentence, relying heavily on the "last seen theory" and the forensic evidence. The defence counsel argued for leniency on the grounds of the accused's age and requested a life sentence instead of capital punishment. After holding a final hearing on June 25, the Pune POCSO court delivered its verdict on June 29.

Additional Sessions Judge S. R. Salunkhe rejected the defenceтАЩs plea, stating that the sheer brutality and harshness of the crime shocked the conscience of both the judiciary and society. The judge declared that even capital punishment seemed inadequate for the gravity of the offence. Terming it a "rarest of the rare" case, the court labelled the accused a permanent threat to society with zero scope for rehabilitation, and sentenced him to death.

Welcoming the judgment, MP Supriya Sule on X thanked the judiciary and commended the police for their excellent investigation, stating that she wholeheartedly supports the decision both as a mother and a public representative.

Also Read:- Accused Arrested for Staying at Luxurious Hotels Without Paying

Share this article
The link has been copied!