The three main convicts in the rape and murder of an eight-year-old nomadic girl in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua have been awarded life imprisonment. Convicts Sanji Ram, Parvesh Kumar and Deepak Khajuria were booked under Sections 363 (kidnapping), 302 (murder), 376D (gangrape) and 120(B) (criminal conspiracy) of the Ranbir Penal Code.

Three others, including cops Surinder Verma, Anand Dutta and Tilak Raj, who were booked under RPC Section 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence, or giving false information to screen offender) have each been sentenced to five years in prison.

On 10 June, the special court in Pathankot had acquitted one of the seven accused, Vishal Ram, in the Kathua rape and murder case.