Man gets death for rape, murder of minor in Surat

SURAT: The 40-year-old man convicted for the rape and murder of a six-year-old girl was sentenced to death by the court of additional sessions and district judge on Friday.
The convict, Mukesh Panchal, was on Thursday convicted for the heinous crime that he had committed at his house on December 7, 2022.
UM Bhatt, additional sessions and district judge, also ordered a compensation of Rs 23.50 lakh to the family of the deceased.
The judgement has been announced within 78 days of the crime following a day-to-day trial and speedy investigation by the police.
“The prosecution pleaded for the death sentence considering the heinous nature of the crime,” said Nayan Sukhadwala, district government pleader.
The accused was arrested by Chowk Bazaar police on December 8 and remanded to police custody till December 13. Charges against him were framed on December 28, and on January 2, 2023, a total of 86 pieces of evidence were submitted in court by the prosecution. In all, 46 witnesses were examined by the court.
Panchal was alone at home on that day. Panchal took the girl inside his house and strangled her to death after raping her. He kept the body inside the storage compartment of the bed in his home.
Her family alerted the police and lodged a missing persons report. While searching in neighbouring houses, the body was found in Panchal’s home. He had escaped but was caught by the crime branch team later.
Panchal was earlier arrested for involvement in 12 offences of motorcycle theft, possessing weapons and other petty crimes.
(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme court directives on cases related to sexual assault)