5 get death for minor’s gangrape-murder

A court in Korba district of Chhattisgarh sentenced five men to death for the gangrape and murder of a 16-year-old girl, as well as the brutal killings of two of her family members in 2021, terming the crime as “extremely depraved, disgusting, bestial and cowardly” that shook the collective conscience of society.

The convicts — Santram Manjhwar, Abdul Jabbar, Anil Kumar Sarthi, Pardeshi Ram, and Anand Ram Panika — were found guilty under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 302 (murder) and 376(2)(G) (gangrape), along with provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and the POCSO Act by the Fast Track Special Court in Korba district.

The sixth accused, Umashanakar Yadav, was sentenced to life imprisonment due to medical reasons, as it was determined he had undergone surgery that affected his ability to participate in the crime.

The death sentences will require confirmation from the Chhattisgarh High Court before being carried out, and the accused have the right to appeal the verdict in higher courts. A copy of the order was made available on Monday.

The 16-year-old girl was gangraped in front of her father before being murdered, leaving the court with no option but to choose death penalty rather than the general rule of life imprisonment, the judge said.

The accused, Santram and Abdul Jabbar, took turns to rape the deceased girl and the remaining accused played an active role in this act by supporting them, the ruling noted.

“This inhuman act is extremely depraved, bestial and cowardly as they killed three innocent and weak persons to satisfy their lust. This act has hurt the collective conscience of the entire society,” the court said.

The convicts had also killed a three-and-a-half-year-old girl and the father.