Bhilwara- In a significant verdict on Monday, a POCSO court in Rajasthan's Bhilwara district delivered the death sentence to two individuals for the heinous crime of raping and burning alive a minor girl in a coal furnace last year.
The incident, which occurred on August 2nd, 2023, had sent shockwaves through the country. Kalu, son of Ranganath Kalbelia (25 years old), and his brother Kana (21 years old) were declared guilty by Judge Anil Gupta.
The court had on May 18, acquitted the remaining seven accused, including family members of the convicted brothers, due to lack of sufficient evidence.
Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot expressed his approval of the court's decision on social media.
He wrote in a post, "The decision of the court to award death penalty to the culprits in the case of rape and murder of a girl in Kotri, Bhilwara in August 2023 is welcome. At that time, our government took immediate action against the accused and arrested them. At that time, ADG Crime was sent to the spot and this case was taken under the Case Officer Scheme. The charge sheet of this case was filed in about a month. Today, within 10 months, these culprits have been sentenced."
The Special Public Prosecutor, Mahaveer Singh Kishnawat said the acquittal will be challenged in the high court.
Speaking to the media, Krishnawat said, " The court has sentenced both the main accused, Kalu Kalbeliya, and his brother Kanha Kalbeliya, to death. They not only subjected a minor to over four hours of rape but also callously burned her alive in a coal furnace within the village. I express my gratitude to the court and the judiciary for recognizing the severity of the case, categorizing it as one of the 'rarest of the rare,' and pronouncing the highest punishment for them."
The incident traces back to August 2, 2023, when a 14-year-old girl disappeared while tending to cattle. Concerned by her absence, her family and neighbors initiated a search, discovering her shoes and bracelets close to a coal furnace. Their suspicions heightened upon observing a lone furnace burning amidst heavy rainfall and stumbling upon human bones nearby.
Subsequently, the police detained four caretakers of the coal furnace—Kalu (25), Kanha (21), Sanjay (20), and Pappu (35). Following a Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report, preliminary interrogations, and additional investigation, these four suspects were arrested.
During the investigation, the suspects purportedly confessed to their abhorrent acts. They admitted to raping the girl before callously throwing her into the coal furnace. Later, they disposed of fragments of her body in a nearby pond in a bid to obstruct justice.
The condition of the remains was so grotesque that the family couldn't even recognize them.
The incident incited widespread fury across the state, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), then in opposition, vehemently criticizing the incumbent Congress government for its failure to ensure women's safety.
Former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and several BJP leaders took to Twitter to denounce the incident, criticizing the deteriorating law and order situation in the state and the escalating atrocities against women.
In response, the BJP has assembled a committee comprising MLA Anita Bhadel, President of Mahila Morcha Raksha Bhandari, and former MLA Atar Singh Bhadana to conduct further investigations into the case. Minister of State Dheeraj Gurjar also visited the site to express his condemnation of the incident.
Prominent figures, including the State President of Rajasthan Gurjar Mahasabha, former Minister Kalulal Gurjar, and District President Shankarlal Gurjar, visited the site to stand in solidarity with the grieving family and advocate for justice for the victim.
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