Man sentenced to death for killing physiotherapist

Mumbai: A Sessions court in Dindoshi Friday sentenced a man to death for raping and killing a 24-year-old physiotherapist in December 2016.

Judge Abhishri Deo, while sentencing Debashish Dhara (30), observed, “As the convict, in pursuance of his motive, brutally raped the victim, inflicted inhuman torture… brutally strangulated the victim with her jeans and thereafter, scattered all the clothes and books in the room and set the room afire, thus exhibiting extreme mental perversion…”

“His unprovoked crime demonstrated exceptional depravity of mind of convicts. The brutality caused to her is extreme as is evident from the medical evidence on record and hence, the act of the convict calls for extreme penalty,” the Judge said.

According to the prosecution, the deceased used to work in a private hospital and stayed with her parents and younger sister. On December 5, 2016, she had gone out with three of her friends and returned to her room along with one of them. The friend left after 11.45pm and later told the court that she had shut the door behind her while leaving.

At around 3.30 am, a neighbour noticed smoke emanating from the victim’s room. When the door, which was bolted from the outside, was opened, the victim was found lying on the floor with a pair of jeans wrung around her neck. Books and clothes were scattered everywhere. She was taken to a hospital, where it was confirmed that she had been raped. Later, during the probe with the help of CCTV footage, the police arrested Mr Dhara.

The court also recommended that the state award adequate compensation to the victim’s family under the Manodhairya scheme.