Bahraich’s POCSO Court hands death penalty for rape and murder of minor

The POCSO Court found the crime to be ‘rarest of the rare case’ and also awarded 20-year rigorous imprisonment to a co-accused in the case

The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) court handed death sentence to a person in connection with the rape and murder of a 12-year-old girl, here in Bahraich on Tuesday. The court also awarded 20-year rigorous imprisonment to co-accused in the case.

The POCSO court of Bahraich found two persons-- Phool Chand Kannaujiya, 32, and Roshan Lal, 30,-- guilty of rape and murder of the minor girl. (Pic for representation only)

Special district government council Sant Pratap Singh said it was the second death sentence awarded by the court in Bahraich within two months. Singh said the court, in its 123-page judgment, found the crime to be ‘rarest of the rare case’ and thus awarded death sentence to one of the main offenders.

Giving details about the case, the additional superintendent of police (rural) Asokh Kumar said a 12-year-old girl, a resident of Rehuwa village, was found murdered on April 10, 2021. An FIR was lodged under sections 364, 376 and 302 of the IPC based on a complaint made by the victim’s father Santosh Singh against unidentified persons on April 11, 2021. During the investigation, two persons Phool Chand Kannaujiya, 32, and Roshan Lal, 30, were convicted for the rape and murder of the minor girl.