Man sentenced to death by trial court for rape, murder of 9-month-old girl in Telangana
A 28-year-old man has been sentenced to death by a trial court for kidnapping and raping a nine-month-old girl in Telangana. The nine-month-old girl died after the accused gagged and raped her on June 19 this year, triggering protests by enraged locals who demanded stern punishment to the accused.
The accused, identified as Praveen of the same locality and working in a hotel, was arrested after interrogation. The accused admitted to his crime before the judge of the Warangal district court.
The court completed the trial within 53 days as the advocates refused to provide him any legal aid. The man had taken away the baby to a nearby secluded place in the wee hours while she was asleep alongside her parents on the terrace of their house and allegedly sexually assaulted her.
The girls mother noticed the child missing and informed her brother who went in search of her along with some others. As they noticed the man walking with the baby covered in a towel, he dropped the child and tried to escape, but was caught and handed over to the police, who later arrested him.
The motionless child was rushed to a nearby hospital where doctors declared her brought dead, police said. On a complaint by the family, a case was registered against Praveen for Indian Penal Code offences including kidnap, rape and murder and under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
(With inputs from Agencies)
