Death Sentence for Man Convicted of Rape and Murder of Four-Year-Old Girl

In a shocking case from Dhubri, a man has been sentenced to death for the horrific rape and murder of a four-year-old girl. The court described the crime as 'rarest of rare', emphasizing the brutality involved. The victim's body was found in a tea garden, leading to a thorough investigation that revealed the gruesome details of the crime. The prosecution argued for the maximum penalty, which the court upheld despite the defense's plea for leniency based on the accused's age and family circumstances. This case underscores the urgent need for stringent measures to protect children from such heinous acts.

By Narendra Chaudhary Sep 16, 2026, 09:30 IST

Severe Punishment for Heinous Crime

Dhubri, Sept 16: A man has been sentenced to death by a POCSO court for the brutal rape and murder of a four-year-old girl, an incident described as 'rarest of rare'.

The Special Judge's Court in Bilasipara found Utpal Ray guilty of committing the crime at the Krishnakali Tea Estate in 2023, emphasizing that the severity of the act surpassed human tolerance.

On Monday, Additional and District Court Special Judge Rana Dutta imposed additional statutory penalties and fines under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The case unfolded after the child was reported missing on September 4, 2023. Villagers initiated a search when she vanished while playing, and her body was later discovered in a severely decomposed state within the tea garden.

A post-mortem examination revealed that the child's legs were bound, and the medical report indicated that she died from asphyxia due to manual strangulation, which was determined to be ante-mortem and homicidal.

The prosecution, led by Additional Public Prosecutor T Kr Bhattacharya, advocated strongly for the death penalty, arguing that the circumstances of the case warranted such a severe punishment.

During the trial, Bhattacharya detailed how the accused lured the child into the tea garden, assaulted her, and subsequently took her life, asserting that the crime deserved the harshest penalty.

The court dismissed the defense's request for leniency, which cited the accused's young age (24 years), his family situation, and his behavior during nearly three years in custody.

For the crime under Section 376AB IPC, Ray received a life sentence, meaning he will spend the rest of his life in prison, along with a fine of Rs 10,000.

For the murder charge under Section 302 IPC, he was sentenced to death, also with a fine of Rs 10,000.

Additionally, he was given five years of rigorous imprisonment under Section 201 IPC and 20 years under Section 6 of the POCSO Act, with a total fine of Rs 50,000. All sentences will run concurrently.

The court instructed the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) in Dhubri to initiate an inquiry to provide compensation to the victim's family under the victim compensation scheme, noting the State's failure to safeguard the child's life.