Mumbai, September 19: On Thursday, September 18, a court in Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh, awarded death penalty to a man for raping and killing his seven-year-old niece. A government lawyer also said that the court imposed a fine of INR 13,000 on the accused. The alleged incident took place in January 2019 under the Imalia Sultanpur police station area in the Sitapur district.

According to a report in PTI, Bhagirath Verma, judge of Additional District (POCSO), held the accused, Neelu, guilty and awarded him the death sentence. While passing the order in the rape and murder case, judge Verma said, "This brutal incident against an innocent girl shames humanity, and such criminals have no right to live." Notably, the court also described the case as "rarest of the rare". Love Triangle Shocker in Uttar Pradesh: Man Marries Sister-in-Law, Assaults Both Wives and Attacks Police in Chandauli; Accused Arrested.

The court further noted that Neelu posed a threat to society. Speaking to reporters after the verdict, Govind Mishra, counsel of Additional District Government, said that Neelu raped his niece and later dumped her body in the Sarayan river after killing her. The accused was awarded the death penalty under several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the POCSO Act.

In a separate incident in Karnataka's Bengaluru, a yoga instructor was arrested on Thursday, September 18 on the charges of raping a minor girl in the city. The incident came to light after the 17-year-old girl lodged a police complaint. It is reported that the accused ran a yoga centre in the R.R. Nagar area. Mirzapur Shocker: Man Hits Wife With Iron Griddle During Fight, Causes Death in Uttar Pradesh.

Officials said that the accused used his position to sexually assault the minor after promising to help her win an international medal.

TruLY Score by LatestLY
Rating:4

TruLY Score 4 – Reliable | On a Trust Scale of 0-5 this article has scored 4 on LatestLY. The information comes from reputable news agencies like (PTI). While not an official source, it meets professional journalism standards and can be confidently shared with your friends and family, though some updates may follow.

Women and Child Helpline Numbers:

Childline India – 1098; Missing Child and Women – 1094; Women’s Helpline – 181; National Commission for Women Helpline – 112; National Commission for Women Helpline Against Violence – 7827170170; Police Women and Senior Citizen Helpline – 1091/1291.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 19, 2025 07:22 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).