Gujarat court hands death penalty to man for brutal rape of seven-year-old girl

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• Rajkot court sentenced man to death for raping and assaulting a 7-year-old girl
• Verdict in 44 days; DNA evidence and victim's statement were key.
• Gujarat government reiterates zero tolerance for crimes against girls and women

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A court in Gujarat's Rajkot city on Saturday sentenced a man to death for raping a seven-year-old girl and sexually assaulting her with an iron rod, in a verdict pronounced within 44 days of the crime.

Special POCSO judge VA Rana convicted the accused, Ramsinh Dudva (32), a native of Alirajpur in Madhya Pradesh, of charges under relevant provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for rape and aggravated sexual assault.

Reacting to the verdict, Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi said that the Gujarat government is firmly committed to the safety of every daughter and works with zero tolerance towards such incidents.

The incident occurred on December 4 on the outskirts of Kanpar village near Atkot town of the district. The accused kidnapped the child while she was playing with her cousins at a farm and took her away on a bike.

Dudva, a father of three, took the victim, a child of farm labourers, into a nearby bush and raped her. He also sexually assaulted her with an iron rod and left her bleeding and writhing in pain before escaping. The police apprehended him on December 8.

The accused was shot in the leg when he tried to attack cops with an iron rod while they were collecting evidence. The Atkot police registered a case against him.

The police submitted the chargesheet on December 19, and the court convicted him on January 12.

The court sentenced Dudva to death, considering it a "rarest of rare case".

The DNA from the human hair found at the crime scene had matched that of the accused, and the blood sample obtained from the rod seized during the probe was a match to the victim.

The victim's statement proved crucial to the case. The victim's family had written to the court seeking a speedy trial and the death penalty for the accused.

In a post on X, Sanghavi said, "Gujarat government's clear message: Attack on our daughters = end of life. As Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister, I am making it clear that our policy for crimes against girls and women in Gujarat is very clear: Zero Tolerance." In the Atkot POCSO case, the entire process, from the FIR to sentencing, was completed in just 40 days, he said.

"This is not just a case. This is a strong message: No mercy for those who raise their hands on daughters, only strict punishment. I heartily congratulate the Rajkot Rural Police, government lawyers and the entire judicial system for this successful action. Due to their speed, dedication and professionalism, an innocent daughter got justice in time," he wrote.