Nalgonda: Twelve years on, man sentenced to death for rape, murder of 12-year-old

Nalgonda: A Special POCSO Court in Nalgonda district has sentenced 24-year-old M. Mukarram to death for the rape and murder of a 12-year-old girl in 2013.

Mukarram was 13 years old when he committed the heinous crime.

The court also fined him Rs 1.10 lakh and ordered Rs 10 lakh compensation to be paid to the victim’s family.

Court delivers Capital Punishment

In-charge POCSO Court Judge Roja Ramani held the accused guilty under provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Given Mukarram’s hearing and speech impairment, an interpreter assisted during the proceedings.

Crime that shocked Nalgonda

The brutal incident occurred in April 2013. Mukarram lured the girl to his home, sexually assaulted her, strangled her to death, and disposed of her body in a drainage canal. Following a missing complaint from the family, One Town Police Station recovered the body and arrested the accused.

Ten-year legal battle

Police registered the case under the POCSO Act and IPC, collecting crucial forensic and witness evidence. The trial stretched for nearly 10 years before the court delivered its verdict.

Family hails justice

The victim’s relatives welcomed the sentence, calling it long-awaited justice. Police credited their investigation team for ensuring the case ended in a conviction.

Past precedent

Last year, the Telangana High Court upheld the death penalty for a man who raped and murdered a five-year-old girl in Narsingi in 2017, underlining the judiciary’s tough stance on crimes against children.