Man convicted of gangrape, murder of minor gets death penalty
What's the story
A court in Assam today awarded death penalty to Zakir Hussain, the prime accused in the gangrape and murder of an 11-year-old girl in the state's Nagaon district in March.
District and Sessions Judge, Rita Kar, sentenced Hussain (19) to death for the murder and to life imprisonment for raping the minor girl under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Sentencing
Two accused minors sent to correctional home for three years
The court had convicted Hussain and acquitted five other accused for lack of evidence on September 4 this year.
Two other minors accused were found guilty and sent to a correctional home for three years by a juvenile court earlier this week, Nagaon Additional Superintendent of Police, Ripul Das, who was part of the investigation team, said.
Background
Victim was gang raped and then set on fire
The victim, a Class-5 student was gang-raped and set ablaze when she was alone at home in Dhaniabheti Lalung Gaon in Nagaon on March 23.
The youths fled after the crime and the girl was rushed to the Guwahati Medical College Hospital where she succumbed to injuries the next day.
A case was filed in the Batadrava Police Station and the accused were arrested.
Protests
Incident sparked widespread protests in Assam
The police filed charge sheet on April 28 against eight persons.
The incident had led to widespread protests across the state with the Assam Government announcing in the Assembly that it'll bring in a stringent anti-rape law in the next session of the House.
The Government also announced recruitment of women Sub Inspectors through a special drive to have 30% women in the police.
Information
Assam CM launched helpline number '108 - Sakhi' for women
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal had launched a toll-free helpline '181 - Sakhi' for women in distress and the Guwahati HC approved the proposal for setting up exclusive fast-track courts for trial of cases related to rape and murder of women and children in Assam.