A sessions court in Pune, Maharashtra,
sentenced Bhimrao Kamble to death on Monday, June 29, days after he was convicted for the rape and murder of a three-and-a-half-year-old girl in Nasrapur. Special Judge SR Salunkhe, in delivering the ruling, determined that the case met the threshold of the 'rarest of rare' category, making capital punishment the appropriate sentence. The court
directed that Kamble be hanged till death.
Last week, a special POCSO court found the 65-year-old guilty, noting that the prosecution had successfully established an unbroken chain of circumstantial and forensic evidence, leaving no doubt as to his culpability. The prosecution had pushed for the death penalty, pointing to the extreme and deeply inhumane nature of the crime. Kamble, despite being convicted, continued to deny any involvement in the offence. The court, before reserving its sentencing order for June 29, had noted that the accused displayed no remorse and showed no indication of being capable of reform.
What Happened on May 1
The young victim had been staying at her grandmother's home in Nasrapur during the summer holidays when Kamble allegedly lured her away between 3 pm and 4 pm on May 1, with the promise of snacks and a newborn calf. He then took her to a shed near a cattle barn, where he sexually assaulted and killed her. The crime triggered widespread public outrage and street protests.
Pune Rural Police filed a chargesheet within just 15 days. The case was placed on a fast-track trial, during which special prosecutor Ajay Misar examined 55 witnesses, including forensic specialists, investigating officers, family members, and child witnesses who identified Kamble in a test identification parade. Misar drew upon 12 Supreme Court judgments to establish that the case qualified as rarest of rare, and cited autopsy findings that recorded 18 injuries on the child's body. The prosecution also highlighted the prolonged nature of the assault, given the victim's extremely young age.
The court admitted CCTV footage, DNA evidence, medical findings, a potency test, and a mental fitness assessment as duly proved. Misar additionally flagged Kamble's alleged prior criminal record, which reportedly involved offences against a 62-year-old woman, a 17-year-old girl, and an animal.
Following the conviction, Maharashtra Legislative Council Deputy Chairperson Neelam Gorhe praised the judiciary for the speed of the trial, noting that the state government had treated the case with the highest seriousness from the beginning. She emphasised that heinous crimes against minor girls must attract the strictest punishment the law allows.