Pune man gets death sentence for rape, murder of three-year-old girl

A Pune sessions court on Monday awarded the death sentence to 65-year-old Bhimrao Kamble, who was convicted last week for the rape and murder of a three-year-old girl in Nasrapur.

District and sessions judge S.R. Salunkhe held that the case fell under the “rarest of rare” category, citing the brutality of the crime, the injuries on the child’s body and the convict’s lack of remorse during the trial.

The verdict came within two months of the 1 May incident. Police filed the charge sheet within 15 days; charges were framed on 28 May and final arguments concluded on 21 June.

The prosecution had cited 12 key Supreme Court judgments regarding such cases in its arguments, including that this case falls within the category of "rarest of rare" cases defined by the Supreme Court. Considering the nature of the crime and the brutality involved, the judge, while convicting Kamble, had remarked that the accused does not deserve any leniency or a lighter sentence.

The judge also stated that the injuries found on the victim's body were sufficient to prove the brutality of the act. Taking into account a previous sexual assault case against Kamble, the court noted that he is aware of the law and showed no remorse for his actions throughout the trial.

The case is a chilling reminder of the growing insecurity being faced by the most vulnerable members of our society, the Bhor Taluka region of Pune was rocked by a crime of unimaginable cruelty. The 65-year-old sexually assaulted and brutally murdered a three-year-old girl, reportedly ending her life by crushing her with a stone.

The incident came to light when the girl went missing in the afternoon, and her family started a frantic search. During the search, her mutilated and bloodied body was discovered. CCTV footage from the area showed Kamble taking the toddler along, which helped police identify and detain him.

With IANS inputs