West Bengal Court Sentences Man to Death for Rape and Murder of Minor Girl
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Synopsis
A West Bengal court has sentenced Ashoke Sinha to death for the rape and murder of a five-year-old girl in Gurap, Hooghly district. The verdict, delivered 55 days post-crime, coincided with the victim's birthday, bringing a sense of justice to her grieving family.
Key Takeaways
- Court issues death penalty to Ashoke Sinha.
- Victim was a five-year-old girl from Gurap.
- Verdict delivered 55 days after the incident.
- Local residents participated in the arrest of the convict.
- The case has shocked the region and the nation.
Kolkata, Jan 17 (NationPress) A court in West Bengal has sentenced Ashoke Sinha to death after he was found guilty of raping and murdering a five-year-old girl in Gurap, located in the Hooghly district, last November.
The ruling was delivered by Judge Chandraprabha Bhattacharya of the POCSO court in Chinsurah, just 55 days following the horrific crime.
This date, January 17, also marked the birthday of the young victim, as revealed by her mother to reporters after the verdict was announced.
"My daughter wished for a cake for her birthday, but that was not feasible. I completely trusted the police investigation. Ultimately, my daughter has received justice, and I am grateful for the court's decision," the victim’s mother expressed.
The tragic incident began when the minor girl was reported missing from her home on the evening of November 24 of the previous year.
After extensive searches, her body was eventually found at the home of the convict, who was a neighbor of the victim's family.
Outraged locals severely beat him before turning him over to the police.
The community's reaction to the verdict was one of joy, with villagers seen celebrating and thanking the investigating officers and public prosecutor outside the courtroom.
The shocking incident had previously rattled the state of West Bengal and the entire nation, reminiscent of the brutal rape and murder of a junior female doctor at the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata last year.
A crucial verdict in that case is anticipated from a special court in Kolkata on Saturday.
Civic volunteer Sanjay Roy is the primary suspect in the case.
He was arrested by the Kolkata Police shortly after the victim's body was discovered in a seminar hall at R.G. Kar on the morning of August 2024.
Despite the CBI's arrest of the controversial former principal of R.G. Kar, Sandip Ghosh, and the former SHO of Tala Police Station, Abhijit Mondal, on charges of evidence tampering, both were later granted "default bail" as the CBI failed to submit a supplementary charge sheet within 90 days of their arrest.
The charge framing process against Roy at the special court concluded on November 4, 2024, and the trial commenced on November 11.
