<![CDATA[Two youths, identified as Irfan, 20 and Asif, 24, who tried to murder an eight-year-old girl after raping her were given death sentence by a special court in Mandsaur on Tuesday. This is the twelfth case of a state court sentencing child rapists to death this year. Both police and judicial officials took up the shocking criminal case with priority which was committed in Mandsaur town on June 26. Superintendent of police Manoj Singh, of Mandsaur said that the girl went missing from her school on the afternoon of June 26. She was found the following day in a critical condition, with injuries on her body, throat and private parts. Police relied on CCTV footage showing the victim following Irfan down a road, and other evidence to nab Irfan and Asif within two days of the incident. Admitting to their crime, they confessed that Irfan had lured the girl from the school gates by offering sweets and took her to an uninhabited place behind the Mandsaur bus stand. After the two raped her, they slit the girl’s throat with a sharp object and left her to die. SP Manoj Singh said that the charge sheet was filed on July 12, and the trial held from July 30 to August 8. The prosecution presented 37 witnesses during the proceedings. The final arguments were heard on August 14, and the judgment reserved for August 21. Nisha Gupta, Additional district and sessions judge pronounced them guilty in the morning and passed the judgment that afternoon. Bapu Singh Thakur, Deputy Director (public prosecution) said the court awarded the death sentence to Irfan and Asif on the basis of strong witnesses and scientific evidence. According to Thakur, drops of blood found on Irfan’s clothes and innerwear were confirmed as the victim’s through a DNA test which gave evidence that the girl was raped by the accused . DNA test of hair samples which Police also found at the scene of the crime, were identified as that of Irfan's and Asif's. Rajendra Kumar, Director (public prosecution) said close coordination between police and the prosecution led to immediate justice. ]]>
