india

Updated: Mar 04, 2020 06:44 IST

After concluding the trial within four days, a local court on Tuesday awarded death sentence to the three men convicted of rape and murder of a six-year-old girl in Jharkhand’s Dumka district last month.

The court also slapped a fine of ₹50,000 on each of them.

The incident occurred at a village under Ramgarh police station in Dumka district. The minor victim’s body was found buried in a field on February 7 -- two days after her uncle, also the main accused, had lured her to visit a local fair with him. Her family members lodged a police complaint when she didn’t return home after two days.

“The accused deserve nothing less than the gallows for committing such a heinous crime on an innocent minor girl. The role of police for quick investigation in the case is also appreciable,” said the judge, while sentencing the convicts.

The chargesheet was filed on February 26, and the judge concluded the trial in only four working days.

Expressing satisfaction over the verdict, the victim’s grandfather, who was one of the witnesses in the case, told HT, “Her uncle has no right to live after committing such a nasty crime. I had appealed to the court to award the maximum punishment to all the accused.”

Public prosecutor, Ramkinkar Pandey, said the court held the accused, all aged between 19 and 26, guilty under various sections of the India Penal Code such as 302 (murder) and the provisions of the Protection of Children Against Sexual Offence (POCSO) Act.

Dumka superintendent of police (SP), YS Ramesh said, “The prime accused was arrested on February 12 from Mumbai with the help of Thane Police. The other accused were also arrested from Godda district after two days. Their DNA tests were conducted to establish the crime.”

Defence lawyer, Rajendra Prasad Singh, said, “We will move the Jharkhand high court against the judgment.”

Social activists and lawyers, who turned up at the court on the judgment day, lauded the police and the court for wrapping up the investigation and the trail in double quick time.

“The verdict is a gift for us ahead of the International Women’s Day (on March 8). It sends out a clear message that crime against women and children would not be tolerated,” said lawyer, Kiran Tiwari.