‘Sexual offences worse than murder’

NEWDELHI: Observing that sexual offences are worse than murder and other heinous crimes as the assault in such cases is not just on the body but also on the soul of the victim, a Delhi court has sent a man to jail for 14 years for raping a minor.

“Physical wounds heal up with the passage of time and medication but wounds on the mind and soul are of a persistent and nagging nature, which remain alive for years together, making the victim shudder with pain, time and again, eclipsing all pleasant memories,” said additional sessions judge Seema Maini.

The convict, 27-year- old Santosh Kumar, is a north Delhi resident. The crime took place in outer Delhi’s Alipur in 2015. According to the police, Kumar lured the minor neighbour into his room and raped her.

The convict, however, denied the allegations in the court and claimed that he was falsely implicated in the case.

The judge said that the convict has been held liable to be punished under various provisions of the POCSO Act and the Indian Penal Code, for committing penetrative sexual assault upon the victim. “The victim child has lost her childhood, her carefree attitude and the pleasant and joyous approach towards life. The victim child has been left to lead a dead life and when she would start living again, cannot be gauged at this moment,” states the court order dated October 31.

The court awarded a compensation of ₹2 lakh to the victim under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. “Such an offence, having been committed with the child, makes it imperative that the offender is dealt with a firm hand and the mitigating circumstances of the convict cannot be given precedence over the pain, suffering and trauma of the victim child,” the judge said.