Terming it as a rarest of rare case, a special POCSO court on Tuesday awarded death sentence to a 24-year-old transgender for kidnapping and raping a three-month-old girl and later burying her body to destroy the evidence. The convict took to the abhorrent act because the victim's family refused to give him 'bakshish' or tip after the child's birth in July 2021. His aide was acquitted due to want of evidence.
Making strict observations in the verdict, special judge Aditee Uday Kadam said the defenseless victim was treated like an animal for no fault of her. “The crime had been of extreme depravity, which shocks the conscience, particularly looking to the target, only three months old child and looking to the manner of committing rape and murder where the helpless victim was literally smashed/buried in marshy area, resulting her death.” Classifying the case as rarest of rare, the judge further said, “Barbaric and inhuman manner to commit offence, made it the rarest of rare case. It is a crime that would send a chill down the spine of every parent of a girl child. The perversity in the mind of the accused is apparent.”
The victim went missing on the night of July 8, 2021. The family alleged that the convict, who resided in the same vicinity, had been to their house in the evening, demanding 'bakshish'. Upon denial, he left while abusing the aggrieved. When the family slept, the convict along with his friend abducted the girl. Later, the victim's kin approached the Cuffe Parade police. The duo was arrested the next day after a few fishermen told the police that they had seen the convict and his aide carrying something and one of the eyewitnesses also noticed the girl's legs. Both of them even showed the police the place where they had buried the girl.
The doctors opined that the cause of death is drowning associated with unnatural genital injuries. The injuries to the vagina of the victim may be possible due to penetration by one or more people. The medicos highlighted that there is nothing to suggest that the accused is not capable of performing sexual intercourse.
“The accused committed murder even when her family had no previous enmity with him. There was absolutely no provocation on their part to instigate the accused to take the life of an infant and to commit such a gruesome offence with her,” noted the court.
Court observations
- Crime had been of extreme depravity, which shocks conscience.
- Helpless victim was literally smashed, buried in marshy area, resulting in her death.
- Barbaric, inhuman manner to commit offence makes it rarest of rare.
- Crime would send chill down the spine of every parent of girl child.
- Perversity in mind of accused is apparent.
