Mumbai: In a chilling case that has sent shockwaves through a financially challenged community, a special court in Mumbai handed down a death sentence to a 24-year-old transgender individual convicted of the rape and murder of a three-month-old girl in 2021. The victim’s family, facing financial constraints, had expressed their inability to provide customary gifts for blessing the newborn child.
The accused, who visited the victim’s home under the pretext of seeking gifts, resorted to threats when the family couldn’t comply. The court, relying on circumstantial evidence and testimonies from family and neighbours, described the crime as pre-planned, with the motive to instil fear in the community and gain notoriety.
Although a co-accused faced similar charges, they were acquitted due to a lack of evidence. The court’s judgment emphasized the absence of eyewitnesses to the kidnapping but highlighted the severity of the crime based on the circumstantial evidence presented.
The prosecution revealed that the infant went missing during the night, leading the family to report the incident to the police the next day and identify the accused. Subsequent police investigations led to the discovery of the infant’s body in a marshy area, with medical evidence indicating both rape and drowning.
Deeming the case as the “rarest of rare,” the court rejected any grounds for leniency, emphasizing the absence of provocation or enmity between the accused and the victim’s family. The death penalty was justified for the gruesome murder of an innocent three-month-old.
