Three Get Life Sentence For Rape, Murder Of 8-Year-Old In Kathua

Three others were sentenced to 5 years in jail for destroying evidence

- Peerzada Ashiq

Six of the seven men accused in the 2018 rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua were convicted on Monday by a special court in Pathankot.

The court sentenced the mastermind Sanji Ram, a retired government official and priest of the temple where the crime took place, special police officer Deepak Khajuria and Ram’s nephew Parvesh Kumar to life imprisonment. Special Police Officer (SPO) Surender Verma, head constable Tilak Raj, and subinspector Anand Dutta were awarded five years in prison for destroying evidence.

The court acquitted the seventh accused Vishal Jangotra, son of Sanji Ram, giving him the “benefit of doubt”, said Mubeen Farooqi, who represented the victim’s family in court.

Till end of life

District and sessions judge Tejwinder Singh, who concluded the hearing on June 3 in a record time of 14 months, read out the verdict and declared the six accused guilty under different Sections of the law.

The court convicted Sanji Ram, Deepak Khajuria and Parvesh Kumar under Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 302 (murder), 376/D (gang rape), 363 (kidnapping), 328 (poisoning), 201 (destroying evidence) and 343 (wrongful confinement). They were also fined 1 lakh each.

Mr. Singh said a life term for the three convicts meant they would be in jail till the end of their life.