The Punjab and Haryana High Court has ruled that a man convicted of raping and murdering a five-year-old girl must remain incarcerated for 30 years without remission, emphasizing that his imprisonment should last until he nears the "sunset of his virility" to prevent further sexual offenses. Justices Anoop Chitkara and Sukhvinder Kaur of the division bench commuted the convict's death sentence, stating, "To save other children and women, the convict must remain within the four walls of the prison until he is closer to the sunset of his virility".
The case dates back to May 31, 2018, when the man, a long-time employee of the victim's father, raped and stabbed the child to death in a village in Haryana's Palwal district. The girl's body was found stuffed in a flour storage drum in the courtyard of his house. CCTV footage from a nearby school showed him leading the child toward his home. He was convicted of kidnapping, rape, murder, criminal conspiracy, and destruction of evidence under the IPC and the POCSO Act, and initially sentenced to death.
The convict then appealed to the High Court, which upheld his conviction but spared him from the death penalty, while acquitting his mother of the charge of shielding him. The court's decision to commute the death sentence was accompanied by the order to keep him imprisoned until he is no longer a threat due to his age. The High Court's ruling underscores the gravity of the crime and the need to protect society from individuals deemed likely to re-offend. The phrase "virility sunset" is used to indicate a period in the convict's life when his physical ability to commit such crimes diminishes with age. This verdict reflects a growing concern about heinous crimes against children and a commitment to ensuring their safety and security.
The court emphasized that such a barbaric incident should not occur in a civilized society, highlighting the need for justice for the victim, who was referred to as "Laado". This case adds to the ongoing discourse about appropriate punishment for child sexual offenders and the balance between retribution and the possibility of rehabilitation.
