Mumbai, June 4: A special POCSO court on Friday sentenced to death a 31-year-old man for sexually assaulting and killing a minor girl. Police officials said that the deceased, a nine-year-old girl was raped and murdered in Mumbai's Nehru Nagar area in 2019.

According to a report in the Hindustan Times, this is the second time that the accused has been convicted. Earlier, he was awarded seven years imprisonment for sexually abusing another minor girl. However, the accused's jail term was reduced due to good conduct. Interestingly, he was released 11 months before committing his second offence. BKU Leader Rakesh Tikait Says 'Government Wants To Get Me Killed'.

Sources from the police said that the accused allegedly killed the minor girl at the same spot her assaulted her. Later that evening, he dumped her body in the septic tank of a public toilet in Vile Parle. While announcing the judgment, the court stated that the accused cannot be allowed to stay in society. "Once released, he may repeat the same offence," the court observed.

Refusing to grant leniency, the special POCSO court said that a man like the accused, who abused girls one after another does not deserve leniency. According to reports, in the 2019 case of sexual assault and murder, the minor girl went missing and her dead body was found after two days in a public toilet.

Later, the accused was traced and arrested. A case was registered against him under the POCSO Act and sections 302 (murder), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence), and 376 (rape) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 04, 2022 12:39 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).