India | Man gets death penalty for raping, killing homeless girl

Indore, Feb 24 (PTI) -- A 28-year old man was sentenced to death on Monday by a court in Indore in Madhya Pradesh for kidnapping, raping and killing a minor girl in December last year.

Ankit Vijayvargiya was given the death penalty under section 376 (A) (death due to injuries suffered during rape) and Section 302 (murder) of IPC and provisions of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act by Special Sessions Judge (POCSO Act) Varsha Sharma.

Vijayvargiya abducted the four-year-old girl in Mhow late on December 1, 2019, while she was sleeping under a tree with her homeless parents, who earn their livelihood by begging on the streets, District Prosecution Officer Akram Sheikh said.

He raped the girl and then strangled her, Sheikh said, adding that DNA samples and CCTV footage, which showed Vijayvargiya with the victim, played an important role in securing the conviction.

A total of 29 witnesses, including parents of the victim, were examined during the course of the trial, Sheikh said.

"During the course of investigation, it was revealed that Vijayvargiya was involved in incidents of indecent behaviour with some old women due to a sex related mental disorder, though no police cases were lodged on these occasions," Sheikh said.

Source: PTI, Staff, February 24, 2020

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