TWO child rapists have been given death penalty for raping minor girls in Katni and Gwalior districts of Madhya Pradesh under the new law which provides for death to those found guilty of raping girls aged 12 years and below.
A Special Court in Katni, Madhya Pradesh has given death sentence to Rajkumar Kol, an autorickshaw driver, who raped a minor when she was coming back from the school. The death sentence has been given within 5 days from the date of completion of the investigation and filing of charge sheet.
Also, calling it as ‘rarest of the rare case’, a Fast Track Court in Gwalior has ordered a death sentence to Jitendra Kushwah, an ice-candy man, who raped and killed a 6-year-old girl on June 20. Jitendra had kidnapped the child, raped her and then killed her. He was arrested with the help of a camera which recorded him taking the child with him from a wedding and then returning alone.
In December 2017, the MP Assembly passed a bill requesting death penalty to those found guilty of raping minor girls aged 12 and below. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan had also put his efforts to quickly pass the bill to make it a law and called rapists as monsters who have no place in civilized society. The president approved the bill and it became a law on April 21. Till now, 3 child rapists had been already convicted under the new law.