Berhampur, Jun 30: A fast-track POCSO court in Berhampur on Tuesday sentenced a 65-year-old man to death for murdering his 12-year-old niece in Odisha’s Ganjam district in 2022.

Judge Rohit Lal Panda declared the case to be among the “rarest of rare” and ordered that the convict, Sipirian Digal of Pirigada in Kandhamal district, be “hanged till death.” Special public prosecutor Siba Prasad Mishra confirmed the sentencing, noting that the order is subject to ratification by the Orissa High Court.

The crime occurred on April 25, 2022, at the victim’s house in Bidyanagar under Baidyanathpur police limits. Digal allegedly poured kerosene on his niece and set her ablaze. She succumbed to her injuries soon after. Police registered a case of rape and murder the following day and arrested Digal on April 26.

Although allegations of sexual assault preceded the murder, the court acquitted Digal of rape charges due to insufficient evidence. The conviction was based on the testimony of 13 witnesses, including doctors and police officials. Mishra said the court convicted Digal on Monday, with sentencing delivered the next day.

District public prosecutor Biswajit Baral stated that the detailed reasoning behind invoking the “rarest of rare” doctrine would be clear once the full judgment copy is examined.

Police sources revealed that Digal had a criminal history, having earlier been arrested for killing his wife. He committed the murder of his niece after being released on bail.

The judgment underscores the judiciary’s firm stance against heinous crimes involving minors, reflecting the gravity of the offence and the repeat nature of the convict’s actions. The case has drawn widespread attention in Odisha, with the death sentence seen as a strong deterrent against such crimes.