Assam: Man gets death sentence for raping and killing 11-year-old girl

A Court in Assam awarded the death penalty to a man who raped and murdered an 11-year-old girl in Assam’s Nagaon district in March this year. Nagaon Chief Judicial Magistrate on Tuesday convicted the prime accused Zakir Hussain and acquitted five others on September 4 because of lack of  evidence.

The Court sentenced Hussain to death for the murder of 11-year-old under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The 11-year-old girl was gang-raped and set on fire on March 23 this year, when she was found alone at her home in Dhanianheti Lalung Gaon in Nagaon.

The deceased victim was a class V student. After the incident happened, she was rushed to the Guwahati Medical College and Hospital where she succumbed to her injuries. A case was filed in the Batadrava Police Station and the accused were arrested on charges of rape, house trespass, causing the disappearance of evidence and murder under the IPC. The charge sheet was filed on April 28 against Zakir and seven others.

This minor’s rape incident had led to widespread protests across the Assam with the state government announcing in the Assembly that it will bring in a stringent anti-rape law in the next session of the House.  Following this gang-rape incident, the Assam government had also announced to recruit women Sub Inspectors through a special drive to have 30 per cent women in the police force.

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal had launched a toll-free helpline ‘181-Sakhi’ aimed to help women in distress.  The Guwahati High Court has also approved the proposal for setting up exclusive fast-track courts for trial of cases pertaining to rape and murder of women and children in the state, Assam.

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