Durg Court Awards Death Sentence in Rape and Murder of Six-Year-Old Girl
A 24-year-old man has been sentenced to death in Chhattisgarh's Durg district for the rape and murder of his six-year-old niece.
A fast-track special court in Chhattisgarh's Durg district has sentenced a 24-year-old man to death for the rape and murder of his six-year-old niece, describing the crime as a "rarest of rare case".
Additional Sessions Judge Anish Dubey convicted Somesh Yadav under provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The court handed down the death penalty by hanging.
The incident dates to April 2025. The child had gone to her grandmother's house in the Om Nagar Urla area to take part in the 'kanya pujan' ritual during Chaitra Navratri. When she did not return by evening, her family began searching for her and, after finding no leads, lodged a missing person report at Mohan Nagar Police Station.
Her body was subsequently found in the trunk of a car parked nearby. It bore scratch marks on the face and bloodied lips.
Forensic and DNA analyses confirmed that she had been sexually assaulted by her paternal uncle. The reports indicated that the child suffered a cardiac arrest brought on by extreme physical pain and trauma during the assault.
Investigators found that the convict had poured toilet cleaner on the child's private parts in an attempt to remove blood stains and destroy evidence. He had also hidden the body in a neighbour's car to mislead the police.
The court relied on witness testimonies and scientific evidence in arriving at the conviction. The case was decided within 17 months of the crime.