Hyderabad: A Special POCSO court in Telangana’s Nalgonda district has delivered a landmark judgment by awarding the death penalty to 24-year-old M. Mukarram, a butcher, for the 2013 rape and murder of a 12-year-old girl. Presided over by in-charge judge Roja Ramani, the court found Mukarram guilty under relevant provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Mukarram, who has hearing and speech impairments, was provided with an interpreter throughout the trial. Besides the death sentence, the court imposed a fine of ₹1.10 lakh and ordered ₹10 lakh compensation for the victim’s family.

According to the case details, Mukarram lured the girl to his home in Nalgonda town, sexually assaulted her, then strangled her to death before dumping her body in a drainage canal. The crime took place in the village of Chasoti, the last motorable stop before the Machail Mata temple route, at an altitude of 9,500 feet and about 90 km from Kishtwar. The incident occurred amid flash floods that affected a ‘langar’ for devotees nearby.

The police investigation began after the girl’s family filed a missing person complaint at One Town Police Station in Nalgonda. Police recovered the victim’s body, leading to Mukarram’s arrest and subsequent registration of charges under the POCSO Act and IPC. The trial in the Nalgonda District Court spanned 10 years, culminating in the death sentence after a thorough examination of evidence and arguments.

The victim’s family expressed relief and welcomed the verdict, describing it as long-awaited justice. Police officials highlighted the meticulous investigation that ensured all critical evidence and witness testimonies were effectively presented in court.

This ruling comes a year after the Telangana High Court upheld a death sentence awarded to a 30-year-old man convicted of abducting, raping, and murdering a five-year-old girl in 2017 in Narsingi on Hyderabad’s outskirts, underscoring Telangana’s stern judicial response to serious sexual crimes.

This case is another significant moment in the ongoing fight against sexual violence in Telangana, emphasising that brutal offenders face the harshest punishments under the law. It highlights the commitment of the Telangana legal system to deliver justice in cases of rape and murder, providing a strong message against such heinous crimes.

With inputs from IANS