Pune Court Sentences 65-Year-Old Man To Death For Three-Year-Old Girl's Rape And Murder

A Special Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act court in Pune on Monday sentenced a 65-year-old man to death for the rape and murder of a three-and-a-half-year-old girl in Nasrapur, declaring the crime to be among the "rarest of rare" cases warranting capital punishment. Special Judge S.R. Salunkhe ruled that the prosecution had established the accused's guilt beyond reasonable doubt through an unbroken chain of circumstantial and forensic evidence, leading to the conviction of Bhimrao Kamble for the brutal crime committed on May 1.

The court had convicted Kamble on June 25, less than two months after the incident, following an expedited trial under the POCSO Act. While pronouncing the sentence, Judge Salunkhe observed that the prosecution had successfully established aggravating circumstances that justified the maximum punishment. The court noted that Kamble had a prior criminal record and a history of serious assault, factors that weighed heavily while determining the sentence.

In its detailed observations, the court described the murder as a cold-blooded and barbaric act that had deeply shocked both the judicial system and society. Judge Salunkhe said the accused was driven by "unbridled lust" and acted with extreme brutality, inflicting horrific injuries on the child that reflected "completely inhuman behaviour." The court further stated that the assault demonstrated exceptional cruelty and left no mitigating circumstances sufficient to outweigh the gravity of the offence.

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"The satisfaction of lust was the only motive," the court observed while explaining its decision. It further noted that Kamble appeared to have acted with a sense of complete impunity, believing that his past criminal history would shield him from severe legal consequences. According to the judgment, the accused seemed to assume that even if he was prosecuted, he would escape meaningful punishment, making the crime all the more reprehensible.

The POCSO Act provides for stringent punishment in cases involving sexual offences against children, including the death penalty in exceptionally grave cases. Indian courts reserve capital punishment for offences that fall within the "rarest of rare" category, a legal principle applied when the crime is considered so heinous that life imprisonment is deemed inadequate. Courts assess factors such as the brutality of the offence, the vulnerability of the victim and the possibility of the offender's reformation before imposing the death sentence.

The judgment marks the conclusion of a fast-tracked trial that proceeded from the commission of the offence to conviction within 60 days. While the trial court has awarded the death penalty, the sentence will be subject to confirmation by the Bombay High Court, as required under Indian law. The case has drawn widespread attention due to the age of the victim, the brutality of the crime and the swift pace of the judicial proceedings under the special provisions governing offences against children.

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