ONGOLE: A local court in Prakasam district ordered death sentence to a man for rape and murder of a seven-year-old girl. The trial was completed in a span of 18 months.Judge MA Soma Sekhar of the Prakasam district Special Court For Speedy Trial of Offences under the Protection of Children From Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act conducted the trial and delivered the verdict on Wednesday.
Elaborating, Prakasam district Superintendent of Police (SP) Malika Garg said the case dates back to July 8, 2021. “Around 3 pm, the victim went out to play with other children and did not return home till late at night. Her parents looked for her, but could not find her. Following this, they reported the police,” the SP said and added Giddalur police, who launched a search for the missing child, found the girl’s body in a plastic bag in the drainage canal at the outskirts of the village.
When police were collecting details of repeat offenders in the village, they identified the accused as a close relative of the victim from the same village. Sniffer dogs led the clues team to the crime scene, where they found a blood stained blanket, a bicycle and the victim’s sandals. “The blood stains were sent for forensic tests, confirming that the girl had been there,” she said.The case was later handed over to Disha police for speedy investigation.
“The accused confessed to committing the crime. When the girl tried to cry out for help, the accused hit her head against the bed. He then wrapped the child’s body in a plastic bag, and dumped it in a drainage at the outskirts of the village and fled,” the SP explained. A case was registered under Section 6 of POCSO Act and IPC Sections 302, 376 (a) (b), 366, 342 and 201 against the accused.