A 65-year-old man has been sentenced to death for luring a three-year-old girl with snacks before raping and murdering her in Nasrapur village, Pune District, Maharashtra, India. Bhimrao Kambale committed the crime on May 1 and was convicted via a fast-track court within 60 days of the killing.
Details of the Crime
Kambale lured the child by promising her snacks and showing her a newborn calf. He then took her to a shed, where he assaulted and killed her. The victim's family broke down in court as the sentence was read out, according to ETV Bharat.
Court's Remarks
Additional Judge S R Salunkhe stated: "The offence was committed outrageously and involved inhuman treatment and torture of the victim. The victim was an innocent, helpless child. The murder was committed to satisfy lust, which evidences total depravity. It was a cold-blooded murder without provocation. The crime was committed so brutally that it shocks not only the judicial conscience but even the conscience of society." The judge added that the accused's age of 65 could not be considered a mitigating factor; rather, it was aggravating.
Prosecution and Government Response
Special Public Prosecutor Advocate Ajay Misar said: "In this judgment, the prosecution concluded that all the charges against the accused were proven beyond a reasonable doubt." Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Ajit Pawar commented: "The court's verdict in the deeply distressing case of the rape and murder of a minor girl from Nasrapur, in Pune district, reinforces faith in the judicial system. There is no place in society for such heinous acts. The safety of every girl and woman is this government's top priority, and the resolve to take stringent action against such crimes remains steadfast. Justice has been served, yet society and the administration must remain collectively vigilant to ensure such incidents do not recur."
