POCSO court in Ernakulam delivered a death penalty to Ashfaq Alam on Tuesday for the horrific kidnapping, rape, and murder of a five-year-old girl in Aluva, Kerala, on July 28. Presiding Judge K. Soman initiated the verdict pronouncement procedures on November 14 at 11 am, with the investigation and chargesheet filed by the police within a remarkable 30-day period from registering the FIR.

Ashfaq Alam, a 28-year-old migrant laborer from Bihar, faced multiple charges under IPC sections, including 302 (murder), 376 2(j) (rape of a minor girl), 366A (procuration of a minor girl), and 364 (kidnapping with the intent to murder). Additionally, he was charged under the POCSO Act and Juvenile Justice Act. The trial, which commenced on October 4, concluded expeditiously in just 26 days.

Tragically, the victim was the daughter of a migrant couple from Bihar, and her lifeless body was discovered in a sack at a marshy area behind the Aluva market on July 29. A total of 41 witnesses testified in the case, resulting in Alam being found guilty on 13 charges.

The prosecution fervently advocated for the maximum penalty, a sentiment echoed by the grieving parents who sought capital punishment for the convict. The court, aligning with this sentiment, imposed the death penalty under IPC Section 302, while life sentences were awarded under the POCSO Act sections. In a stern announcement, the court declared that Ashfaq Alam was undeserving of any mercy.