Karnataka Man Gets Death Sentence For Sex Assault, Murder Of 1-Year-Old Boy

A fast-track court has sentenced a man to death for committing unnatural sex with a one-year-old boy baby and murdering him in 2015.

Murthy, a resident of Karimani slum area in Yeshavantpur, was accused of committing unnatural sexual act with the boy and killing him.

Judge KN Roopa handed the death penalty for the crime under sections 302 of IPC (murder), and life imprisonment under Section 377 of IPC (unnatural sexual act) and slapped a fine of Rs.50,000 on the convict.

He has also been sentenced to life imprisonment under the POCSO Act.

The Bengaluru City District Legal Services Authority has been directed to pay a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the bereaved family of the boy.

The trial court in its judgement noted that it has been 10 years since the POCSO Act came into force.

However, such criminal acts have not decreased but only increasing day by day.

According to prosecution, the accused and the victim's father were known to each other. On September 12, 2015, at 2 o'clock in the afternoon, the father of the child entrusted the accused with the task of taking care of his son as he had some urgent work to attend to.

Later, the accused had taken the child to a deserted area near Yeshwantpur and committed the offence.

When the child's cries attracted public attention, the accused got scared and bludgeoned him to death.

The police conducted an investigation and submitted the charge sheet to the court.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)