A special POCSO (Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences) court on Friday sentenced two men to death and two to life imprisonment in four separate cases of rape and murder.

In the first case, a 33-year-old man was given death penalty for rape and murder of a three-year-old in Kasarvadavali, Thane. On September 30, 2013, the victim was playing near her home. The convict, Ramkiran Gaud, took her to a transit camp and raped her. He then killed her and dumped her body. “Gaud confessed to the crime,” said Mandar Dharmadhikari from Kasarvadavali police station.

In the second case, a 20-year-old, Mohammad Abez Ajmer Shaikh , was given death penalty for rape and murder of a four-year-old girl in Bhiwandi. On April 1, 2018, Shaikh raped her and strangled her. Shaikh committed the crime to exact revenge on the girl, who had laughed when her father slapped him for failing to repay a ₹1,500 loan on time, cops said.

In the third case, a 23-year-old man was sentenced to life imprisonment and fined ₹26,000 for sexually assaulting and murdering an eight-year-old boy in Mumbra. On December 19, 2017, Mohammed Hafiz Pathan, took the boy to a secluded spot and touched him inappropriately. When the boy tried to scream for help, Pathan killed him. “He later confessed,” said Madhukar Kad from Mumbra station.

In the fourth case, a 39-year-old, was sentenced to life imprisonment for raping a five-year-old girl at Ghodbunder road on March 16, 2018. “Sumankumar Jha kidnapped the victim from Bhandup and took her to Thane. He raped her and then abandoned her on Ghodbunder road,” said a police officer. A motorist who was passing by saw her and stopped to ask her what was wrong. After she narrated the incident to him, she was taken to Kapurbawdi police station, where a case was registered. She was also taken for medical test, confirming that she had been raped.

First Published: Mar 09, 2019 00:52 IST