Lorry driver sentenced to death under POCSO Act

A local court in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh on Monday sentenced a lorry cleaner to death under the POCSO Act, holding him guilty of the rape and murder of a five-year-old girl in November last year.

State Home Minister M Sucharita hailed the verdict as "historic".

The Chittoor District Sessions Court judge Venkata Haranadh awarded the death penalty to Pathan Mohammad Rafi of Madanapalle, who worked as a lorry cleaner.

The DGPs office said in a release that the crime occurred on November 7 last year when the accused lured the victim in a marriage party and raped her inside the womens restroom.

Her body was found the next day on the rear side of the marriage hall. Rafi was arrested within nine days of the incident.

Based on the post-mortem report and the forensic evidence, police filed a charge-sheet on December 10 and arguments in the case were heard for five days between February 10 and 22, 2020. As many 28 witnesses were examined in the case.

The verdict was pronounced on Monday.