A POCSO Court in Belagavi, Karnataka, has delivered a death sentence to 28-year-old Bharatesh Raosab Mirji for the brutal rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Raibagh Taluk, marking a significant ruling in a case that has horrified the community. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 45,000 on the convict, whose actions in October 2019 shook the region and underscored the urgency of protecting vulnerable children.

According to the prosecution, Mirji abducted the young girl as she was returning home, luring her to his residence in Raibag Taluk. There, he committed the horrific act of raping her before strangling her to death. In a chilling attempt to conceal his crime, Mirji tied a rock to the victim’s body and dumped it in a well to prevent it from surfacing. The girl’s disappearance prompted her father to file a missing person report with the Kuduchi police, sparking an immediate investigation.

Police deployed sniffer dogs, which led them to the well where the girl’s body was tragically recovered. The investigation swiftly zeroed in on Mirji, culminating in his arrest. On September 26, 2025, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Court found him guilty, delivering a verdict that has been met with both relief and sorrow by the victim’s family and the local community.

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The court’s decision to impose the death penalty reflects the gravity of the crime, which prosecutors described as “rarest of rare” due to its brutality and the vulnerability of the victim. The case has reignited discussions on child safety and the enforcement of stringent laws like POCSO to deter such atrocities. As the community mourns the loss of a young life, the verdict serves as a stark reminder of the need for vigilance and justice in protecting society’s most vulnerable.

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