In a case that shocked the nation, two men were given death penalty for raping and burning alive a 14-year-old girl in Rajasthan’s Bhilwara last August. The verdict was delivered by Judge Anil Gupta, who deemed the case as the “rarest of the rare.”
The perpetrators, identified as brothers Kalu and Kanha from the Kaleblia tribe, were found guilty by a POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) court on Saturday.
The court also acquitted seven others, including three women accused of destroying evidence. However, the acquittal is expected to be challenged in the Rajasthan High Court, particularly as two of the acquitted women are reportedly married to Kalu and Kanha.
Special Public Prosecutor Mahaveer Singh Kishnawat confirmed the death penalty for Kalu and Kanha, stating, “Kalu and Kanha were awarded death penalty.” The heinous crime took place on August 3 last year when the victim, who had taken her family’s cattle herd for grazing, was sexually assaulted.
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When the victim did not return home, her family launched a search. They discovered smoke emanating from a furnace despite rainfall, leading to the grim discovery of torn clothes and slippers nearby. Police were immediately notified, and further investigation revealed bones and half-burnt body parts in the furnace. Forensic analysis indicated that the girl may have been alive when she was set on fire.
The investigation also suggested that the girl was rendered unconscious after the rape, possibly from a blow to the head with a stick. In response to mounting political pressure, the police swiftly filed a comprehensive chargesheet within 30 days of the incident, despite criticism and scrutiny from various quarters.
The death penalty case has reignited debates surrounding the safety of women and children, with many calling for stricter enforcement of laws and harsher punishments for perpetrators of such crimes.
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