Landmark Verdict: Bhilwara Rape Case Ends With Death Penalty

A POCSO court in Rajasthan’s Bhilwara district on Monday awarded the death penalty to the two men- Kalu and Kanha, convicted of raping and burning alive a minor girl in a coal furnace last year.

On Saturday, the court convicted Kalu and Kanha, while seven others accused of destroying evidence were acquitted. The Special Public Prosecutor, Mahaveer Singh Kishnawat, confirmed the verdict. “Kalu and Kanha were awarded the death penalty by the court,” he said.

The incident occurred on August 2, 2023, involving the disappearance of a 14-year-old girl who had left home to tend to cattle. Her absence prompted her family and neighbors to search for her, leading to the discovery of her shoes and bracelets near a coal furnace. Their suspicions heightened when they observed one furnace burning despite the rainy weather and stumbled upon human bones in the vicinity.

Police detained four caretakers of the coal furnace—Kalu (25), Kanha (21), Sanjay (20), and Pappu (35). Following an FSL report, primary interrogation, and further investigation, the police arrested these four suspects.

The event sparked significant public anger within the state, leading to the BJP, then in opposition, criticizing the Congress government for its handling of women’s safety. CP Joshi, the BJP state president, further declared the formation of a three-person committee tasked with conducting a thorough investigation to compile a fairground report on the matter.