A special court under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act in Arunachal Pradesh has sentenced a 44-year-old man to death for repeatedly raping his minor niece in 2019. The court described the crime as falling under the 'rarest of rare' category.
Details of the Case
Special Judge (Pocso) Dr. Hirendra Kashyap convicted the accused under Sections 376(2)(f) and 506 of the Indian Penal Code read with Section 6 of the Pocso Act. The court noted that the accused, being the victim's uncle, had exploited a position of trust to commit the heinous act.
According to the prosecution, led by Special Public Prosecutor Kagam Bagra, the accused was entrusted by the family to escort the girl to her sister's home in Doimukh. Instead, he allegedly diverted the vehicle to an isolated stretch, threatened her with a machete, and raped her in a roadside jungle.
Sequence of Events
The court found that the accused sexually assaulted the child twice — first in the jungle and later behind a bus stop. He then fled after threatening her with dire consequences if she disclosed the incident. The victim later narrated the ordeal to her family, leading to the filing of an FIR.
Legal Proceedings
The case has been referred to the Gauhati High Court for confirmation of the death sentence, as required by law. The judgment underscores the judiciary's zero-tolerance stance on sexual crimes against children, especially when committed by a trusted family member.
