Man accused in rape and murder of minor girl sentenced to death in Chandigarh
A post-mortem report revealed that she was raped and murdered. Following this, an investigation was launched and the girl's slippers were recovered from a neighbouring house, whose resident, Hira Lal, was missing.Police identified the accused from CCTV footage and he was arrested in Bihar after seven days.According to police, the accused had come to Chandigarh from Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh and was living in the victim's neighbourhood. A chargesheet was filed against the accused after further investigations revealed that he was behind the rape and murder.The court framed charges against the accused under sections 201, 302, 363, 366, 376, 376(3), 376 AB and 511 and section 6 of the POCSO Act and the court convicted the accused on the basis of DNA reports and other evidence.Must Watch
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The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
South Zone Police achieve higher conviction rate in POCSO cases in 2025
South Zone Police have recorded a good jump in conviction rate in cases registered under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act in the first seven months of 2025. 'As many as 153 POCSO cases in the southern districts have resulted in conviction, involving 168 accused persons. Among them, 122 cases pertaining to child sexual abuse led to the conviction of 136 accused. This is a notable conviction rate of 70%,' said Inspector General of Police, South Zone, Prem Anand Sinha. The conviction rate had improved in comparison with that of 2024, he added. During the previous year, a total of 238 POCSO cases, involving 252 accused, ended up in conviction, with a 61% conviction, he added. Increased quantum of punishment The IG said that not just the conviction rate had improved but also the quantum of punishment had increased in many cases. 'The courts have awarded life imprisonment in 20 cases and 44 sentences of imprisonment of 20 years and above,' Mr. Prem Anand said. Among the southern districts, Dindigul has got the highest number of convictions in POCSO cases. It is followed by Theni and Kanniyakumari (20 cases each) Thoothukudi (18 cases) and Sivaganga (17 cases). Two accused in Dindigul district cases were sentenced to imprisonment of 30 years and 50 years respectively. In Sivaganga district, two cases resulted in 62 years of jail and 41 years of imprisonment on a concurrent basis. While one case in Theni ended up in double life imprisonment, three cases -- two from Theni and one from Kanniyakumari – resulted in imprisonment exceeding 30 years. Among the nine POCSO cases registered along with Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act that resulted in conviction, life imprisonment was awarded in one case each in Dindigul and Ramanathapuram districts. A 20-year sentence was imposed in one such case in Sivaganga. The police in South Zone continue to maintain a stringent and committed stance against crimes targeting children. 'Final reports in POCSO cases are being filed within the mandated 60-day period, thus ensuring a timely progression of investigations,' Mr. Prem Anand said. Besides, the police are conducting targeted awareness sessions to disseminate information on the provisions of the POCSO Act, victim rights, and other relevant legal safeguards. The police are also working in close coordination with the CWCs (Child Welfare Committees) at the district level to ensure better victim support, awareness and reporting. Expeditious trial 'In a majority of cases, trials have been completed within 1–2 years on an average, enabling a swift justice delivery,' he added. The police remain committed to thoroughout investigations, timely charge-sheet filing and active trial follow-up, reaffirming their resolve to protect children and support victims through every stage of the criminal justice process. The improved conviction rate also reinforced public trust in the criminal justice system.. Detention under Goondas Act The Inspector General of Police said that South Zone Police had also intensified action against sexual offenders and had detained 93 of them under the Goondas Act. In order to keep a sustained monitoring against sexual offenders, a total of 799 historysheets were being maintained across South Zone.
The Hindu
2 hours ago
- The Hindu
Sri Sathya Sai police hold anti-drugs campaign at Puttaparthi
Sri Sathya Sai district police conducted a sensitisation campaign to create awareness among youngsters about the dangers of substance abuse, at the Zilla Parishad High School in Chinnampalli of Puttaparthi mandal on Wednesday. The awareness campaign is being held to commemorate the fifth anniversary of 'Nasha Mukth Bharat Abhiyan' initiative. Superintendent of Police (SP) V. Ratna told the media that the police had organised a series of interactive sessions with students all over the district, focusing on the evils of drug consumption and its devastating impact on their careers and lives. The campaign covered drug prevention initiatives, the functioning of EAGLE clubs, and the importance of the toll-free helpline 1972. The SP administered an anti-drug pledge to the students under the slogan 'Drugs Vaddu Bro'. The police officials also conducted a demonstration of the Shakti app, explaining the laws relating to child marriage, the POCSO Act, and women's safety. ZP High School principal V. Venkataramana, teachers, parents, and Shakti team personnel were present.
Indian Express
4 hours ago
- Indian Express
POCSO and age of consent debate in India: Debunking the misconceptions
The recent debates around the alleged reduction of the age of consent have gripped civil society and social media. Some concerns were raised in an article by Flavia Agnes and Audrey Dmello ('The faultlines of consent', IE, August 9). The purpose of this article is to clear some misconceptions and to clarify what has been argued before the Supreme Court (this writer is assisting Indira Jaising, the amicus curiae, before the SC on the matter). While propriety demands that the case be argued before the Court, and not in the court of public opinion, I feel it necessary to clarify some of the arguments so that sensationalism can be avoided. The case before the Supreme Court is about the age of consent. It has been pegged at 18 years by the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (POCSO) insofar as it criminalises consensual sexual activity between children between the age of 16-18, since it is against the order of puberty at which point sexual awareness is attained. The case which has been pleaded here is not a blanket reduction of the age of consent, but to decriminalise consensual intercourse between children aged 16-18 by introducing a close-in-age exception. In recent times, there have been several cases of non-exploitative, non-abusive consensual relationships being criminalised. A significant proportion of cases being registered under the POCSO Act pertain to situations where girls leave their homes with their romantic partners, and cases of consensual sexual activity between teenagers. These cases — usually with a missing persons complaint or an FIR for rape — are usually initiated by the parents of these girls. After the teenage boy has been put through the rigmarole of the criminal process, branded as a criminal, the case usually falls on its face, with the girl turning hostile. The case is subsequently quashed, or the accused is released on bail. Such criminalisation is also much more common in cases of inter-caste and inter-faith relationships, where members of disadvantaged communities and religious minorities often find themselves at the wrong side of the law. Sometimes, while the Supreme Court has refused to quash the cases, they have stopped the execution of sentences by using its powers under Article 142. Under common law, minors are now understood to have evolving capacities to make decisions, including decisions about their life and death. In India, the age of majority is understood as outlined in the Abduction Acts of England. However, in England, this understanding has changed. Post R v D [1984] 2 All ER 449, the current law, even in England, for medical decisions, recognises that the minor has sufficient understanding and intelligence to make a decision and that is not to be determined by reference to any judicially fixed age limit. From 1940 to 2012, the age of consent was 16 years. It was raised to 18, post the December 2012 gangrape case. No reasons were provided for this change, either by the Verma Committee or on the floor of either House when POCSO was brought in or during the 2013 Criminal Laws (Amendment) Act. Agnes and D'mello argue that 16 is an arbitrary age. But so is 18. Sixteen years, as the age of consent, was the law for over eight decades, and it recognised that teenagers are sexually active. This criminalisation of consensual relationships, read along with the mandatory reporting provision, has also deterred teenagers from accessing sexual and reproductive health services and put their lives at risk. The National Health and Family Survey-5 noted that 45 per cent of teenage girls in the age group of 15-19 have had sexual intercourse. How can one protect the health interests of teenagers while also ensuring that abusive relationships are not decriminalised? The answer to this is simply allowing for a close-in-age exception to POCSO and IPC, in cases where relationships are non-abusive and non-exploitative. Agnes and Dmello seem to read this as a defense of abusive incestuous relationships, or relationships where the abuser is in a position of care or authority over the child. Such abuse is not defensible, and the arguments attack a fabricated imagination of the arguments advanced in Court. On a fundamental principle of criminal law, there cannot be mens rea when the relationship is non-exploitative and non-abusive, and thus, trying to criminalise such a relationship serves no legitimate purpose. This is a case of balancing competing interests. Different people may come to different conclusions as to how such interests can be balanced. It is equally true that child sexual abuse is a serious problem, and POCSO addresses the issue of child sexual abuse. I say this as someone who was sexually abused as a child. However, to be so rigid in the application of law, and to use the law in a manner so as to curtail the fundamental right to access to healthcare, and personal autonomy of children between the ages of 16 to 18, who are otherwise capable of giving consent and are involved in consensual sexual relationships, is a fool's errand. The writer is a bioethicist and a lawyer at the Supreme Court
