In a landmark judgment after the Delhi gang rape incident, a Mysore court sentenced a 21-year-old youth to death on Saturday for attempt to rape and murder of a three-and-a-half-year-old girl exactly two years after the incident in Yadahalli of Mysore taluk.
Second Additional Sessions Judge N Rudramuni in his 62-page judgment also sentenced Nanjappa, son of Shivananjappa of Yedahalli. to rigorous imprisonment for seven years and imposed a fine of Rs 10,000. In case of default of payment, he shall further undergo simple imprisonment for one year, the judge said.
“This is nothing short of cold-blooded murder without provocation. Parents of the victim lost a beautiful, loving child on account of the cruel act of the accused. They deserve to be compensated. The Government of Karnataka shall pay `1 lakh from the Victim Compensation Fund,” Judge observed.
Nanjappa had lured the victim on the pretext of buying her snacks, attempted to molest her and then killed her on February 24. “The pain and agony undergone by the minor girl is beyond imagination. The accused bit her on her thigh, irregular abrasions were found on her lips, cheeks and mouth,” the Judge observed.
Reacting to the judgment, Nanjappa said he was falsely implicated and would file an appeal in the High Court.
Rarest of rare cases, argues Judge
Bestiality, antecedents, feigning innocence and the aggravating factors are the main components in awarding death penalty to Nanjappa. The court came to the conclusion that it is a rarest of rare case to award capital punishment.
Judge Rudramuni noted that Nanjappa was a person with sexual perversity. “He used to satisfy his lust with commercial workers and when he had no money to offer them, he had intercourse with animals. It proves that he is a person with abnormality and has no chance of reformation. He is a menace to society,” the judge observed.
Killing an innocent and helpless child always warrants death sentence, the judge said.
Photographs of the victim and the post-mortem report clearly demonstrates the cruelty of the accused, the judge observed. Subsequent conduct of the accused, going to the house of deceased, enquiring about her whereabouts and feigning innocence is also indicative of the fact that he is not an ordinary criminal, the judge added.
The judge also observed that during the course of trial the accused’s behaviour did not reflect any remorse or repentance.
Public Prosecutor HE Chinnappa contended that it was the most brutal, diabolic and inhuman offence of rape and murder. “He attempted forcible sexual intercourse on her and bit her on the thigh, tore her undergarment with a blade, caused bleeding around her genitals. When she resisted, he smothered her and bludgeoned her to death causing a fracture of the skull,” he added.