Man gets death for raping, killing minor

A sessions court in Thane district on Wednesday sentenced a 28-year-old man to death for raping and killing a minor girl in 2014.

Special Judge Mrudula Bhatia for Prevention Of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act awarded the death sentence to Atul Rama Lote and observed that the prosecution has proved beyond reasonable doubt that the accused had raped and later killed the minor girl.

The judge held that this was a crime against the society and falls under the category of rarest of rare case, and hence the convict deserves the death sentence. The sentence would be executed following confirmation from the high court.

According to district government pleader (DGP) Sangeeta Phad, in February 2014, Lote used to work on a poultry farm at Wada, Thane. One evening, he lured a six-year-old girl to his farm by offering her chocolate. He raped her near a shop on the farm. When the minor cried for help, Lote strangled her to death.

Ms Phad said that there were three witnesses who saw the accused taking the minor girl with him.

Investigation officer Sanjay Hazare said that the sentence is a great relief to the probe team who had toiled day and night to gather all the evidence in the case.

Lote faced trial under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and POCSO.