Fatehpur (Uttar Pradesh)– In a landmark verdict that sends a strong message against violence toward women, a court in Fatehpur, Uttar Pradesh, has sentenced Ajay alias Sheelu to death for the rape and murder of a 19-year-old woman in a case that shocked the region in 2022.
The crime occurred on May 30, 2022, when the young woman, who was preparing for competitive exams, was abducted while returning home from her coaching center. She was forcibly taken to a remote forested area in Khairabad by three men—one of whom was known to her and from the same village—and gang-raped before being brutally murdered.
Her body was later discovered in the forest with 24 injury marks, according to the post-mortem report, highlighting the severity of the assault.
The victim, a resident of Bauhara village in Kanpur, regularly traveled to Jehanabad for coaching classes. Her ambition and dreams were cut short by the horrific attack.
The case was heard in the court of Additional District Judge (Fast Track Court)-1, where the prosecution presented a strong case backed by forensic evidence and witness testimony. The court found Ajay guilty beyond doubt and sentenced him to capital punishment. His two accomplices were sentenced to seven years of rigorous imprisonment each.
Delivering the verdict, Judge Ashok Kumar stated that justice in such heinous crimes must be swift and uncompromising to serve as a deterrent. “The convict should be punished sooner rather than later so that society understands that the death penalty is the only appropriate response to such crimes,” he said.
The victim’s father welcomed the judgment, saying it brought peace to his daughter’s soul and a sense of closure for the family. “I attended every hearing. Today, I feel justice has finally been served,” he said.
The ruling has been hailed as a milestone in the fight against gender-based violence, with many seeing it as a stern warning to those who commit crimes against women. (Source: IANS)
