WB: POSCO Court Sentences Death Penalty in Minor Rape Case

A special Pocso (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) in Alipore sentenced a death penalty to a 32-year-old man on Thursday, accused of kidnapping, raping, and murdering a seven-year-old girl in Tiljala in 2023. POCSO judge Sudipto Bhattacharya called it as the “rarest of the rare” cases.

The court also ordered the West Bengal government to provide ₹10 lakh in compensation to the victim’s family under the State’s victim compensation scheme.

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About the Crime

The incident took place on March 26, 2023. A minor girl, aged 7 years, went missing in the Tiljala area of West Bengal. Her mother sent her out to buy milk and also to dispose of a garbage bag. her parents became worried after she did not return home. They filed a missing report at the Tiljala Police Station. 

During the investigation in the building, the police discovered her brutalised body in a neighbor’s apartment, wrapped in a gunny bag in the kitchen. The CCTV footage revealed that the girl had returned to her building after completing her tasks. The incident sparked protests in the Park Circus and Tiljala areas, demanding justice. The locals were seen vandalizing vehicles. 

The autopsy revealed blunt force injuries and strangulation marks on the victim’s body. The charge sheet, filed on June 16, 2023, led to a swift trial with over 45 witnesses examined.

The West Bengal court has concluded this trial of a heinous crime involving the assault and murder of a minor girl within a year. 

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