Mumbai minor who strangled 4-year-old girl with mobile charger to be tried as adult

The Mumbai boys panicked after the girl’s nose started bleeding, and strangled her with a mobile charger

One of the two minors booked in connection with the kidnapping and murder and of a four-year-old girl from Dongri in December 2016 will now be prosecuted as an adult before the sessions court.

The prosecution alleged that the 17-year-old lived in the same building as the girl and had kidnapped her for money. (HT File)

On Tuesday evening, the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) held that the murder was “heinous” and that according to amended provisions of the Indian Penal Code, minors between 16 and 18 years can be prosecuted as adults in regular courts, if they are accused in connection with crimes such as rape and murder.

The prosecution said the girl, Zumeda Mumtaz Khan, a resident of Sharbatwala Building in Donkan Road, went missing on December 5. Her body was discovered on December 24.

Police said the two boys were 16 and 17 at the time of the murder. They took the girl to the 17-year-old’s house and used chloroform on her. They panicked after her nose started bleeding, and strangled her with a mobile charger.

A case was registered with JJ Marg police, who arrested the minors. The prosecution alleged that the 17-year-old lived in the same building as the girl and had kidnapped her for money.

“The board held that the crime committed by the accused was heinous. However, it only allowed one of the accused to be prosecuted as major and rejected our plea that the other accused be prosecuted in the same way,” said special public prosecutor Shishir Hirey

Hirey said he would wait for the copy of the JJB’s order and consider appealing before a higher forum.