32-Year-Old Man Sentenced to Death for Raping, Murdering Minor in Gujarat

A special POCSO court sentenced Somabhai Solanki to death for raping and murdering an eight-year-old girl in Gujarat's Gir Somnath district. Termed the 'rarest of the rare case', Solanki was also fined Rs 25,000. The court directed Rs 17 lakh compensation for the victim’s family under the Gujarat Victim Compensation Scheme, 2019.

A special POCSO court in Gujarat's Gir Somnath district sentenced Somabhai Solanki, 32, to death for raping and murdering an eight-year-old girl in 2022.

The court, in its Monday order, termed the crime as the 'rarest of the rare' and imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on Solanki. The gruesome incident took place in June 2022 in a village under Kodinar taluka. Solanki was arrested 25 days later by a special investigation team.

The accused was charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and POCSO Act. Public prosecutor Ketansinh Vala revealed 55 documentary evidences and testimonies from family, neighbors, police, and forensic officials led to the conviction. The minor girl's family was awarded Rs 17 lakh compensation under the Gujarat Victim Compensation Scheme, 2019.