Chandigarh court awards death penalty to 41-year-old man for minor’s rape-murder

The Fast Track Special Court, Chandigarh, on Tuesday awarded death sentence to a 41-year-old man, Heera Lal Guddu, in the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Hallomajra.

The police registered the case after a child’s body, with the throat slit and multiple stab wounds, was discovered near a dumping site on the intervening night of January 21 and 22, 2024.  The body was recovered three days after she went missing on January 19. The victim’s semi-naked body was found hidden under a pile of garbage near her house in Hallomajra. The autopsy had confirmed rape.

CCTV footage from the area helped the police to nab the accused. During a door-to-door search, the child’s slippers were found in a neighbouring house, with the occupant, Heera Lal, missing.

The accused was arrested from Bihar after seven days.

Police claimed that the accused had shifted to Chandigarh from Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, and was living in the victim’s neighbourhood.

After completion of the investigation, the police filed a chargesheet against the accused in the court. Finding prima-facie case, the court framed the charges against the accused under Sections 201, 302, 363, 366, 376, 376(3), 376 AB, and 511, and Section 6 of the POCSO Act, to which the accused pleaded not guilty and claimed trial.

After hearing of the arguments, the court convicted the accused on the basis of the DNA reports and other evidences, and sentenced him death penalty.