A fast-track special court in Chhattisgarh’s Durg district has sentenced a 24-year-old man to death for the rape and murder of his six-year-old niece. The verdict was delivered within 17 months of the crime. Additional Sessions Judge Anish Dubey described the case as a “rarest of rare” crime. The court sentenced Somesh Yadav to death by hanging under relevant provisions of the POCSO Act and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, according to an NDTV report.
Chhattisgarh Girl Went Missing During Kanya Pujan
The incident took place in April 2025. The six-year-old girl had gone to her grandmother’s house in Om Nagar Urla to take part in the ‘kanya pujan’ ritual during Chaitra Navratri. She did not return home by evening. Her worried family members began searching for her. They later approached Mohan Nagar Police Station and filed a missing person report. The search took a tragic turn when the child’s body was found inside the boot of a car parked nearby.
Child’s Body Found Inside Car Boot
Police found scratch marks on the girl’s face and blood on her lips. Investigators began examining the circumstances surrounding her death. According to the report, forensic and DNA evidence established that the child had been sexually assaulted by her paternal uncle, Somesh Yadav. The investigation also found that the girl suffered cardiac arrest following the severe physical trauma caused during the assault.
Uncle Tried To Destroy Evidence
Investigators said Yadav also attempted to destroy evidence after the crime. He allegedly poured toilet cleaner on the child’s private parts. He then hid her body inside a neighbour’s car, apparently in an attempt to mislead investigators and conceal the crime. The case was built on witness statements along with forensic and DNA evidence. These findings were presented before the court during the trial.
Court Calls Chhattisgarh Case ‘Rarest Of Rare’
After examining the evidence, the fast-track special court found Yadav guilty of rape and murder. The court concluded that the crime fell under the “rarest of rare” category and awarded him the death penalty. The verdict came around 17 months after the crime, highlighting the fast-track nature of the proceedings in the case involving the six-year-old girl. The judgment brings the trial to a close, though a death sentence in India is subject to the legal process of confirmation and appeal.
Sudeep Singh Rawat is a Copy Editor at NewsX Digital with over five years of experience in digital journalism. He covers national and international news, with a focus on politics, crime, technology, public affairs, and trending topics. Before joining NewsX Digital, he worked with Business Standard, The Sunday Guardian, and other digital media organisations. His reporting focuses on breaking news, enterprise stories, and explainers that inform readers through accurate, balanced, and context-driven journalism.
