A Special POCSO Court on Monday awarded death penalty to a 65-year-old man on charges of raping and murdering a three-and-a-half-year-old girl in Nasrapur near Pune in May 2026. The court noted that the case falls within the ‘rarest of rare’ category, warranting hanging till death. 

Special Judge SR Salunkhe pronounced the verdict, observing that the prosecution established an ‘unbroken chain of circumstantial and forensic evidence’, proving that Bhimrao Kamble was guilty. 

He added that the evidence established aggravating circumstances in favour of the prosecution. He remarked, “The offences relate to the commission of serious crimes like murder and rape by an accused holding a previous criminal record and a substantial history of serious assault.” Notably, earlier, on June 25, 2026, the court had convicted Kamble, within almost 60 days of the rape and murder on May 1. 

Incident left judicial, social conscience shocked

Judge Salunkhe underscored that the cold-blooded murder deeply shocked both the judicial and social conscience. He then said Kamble was driven by ‘unbridled lust’ and acted with immense ferocity, leaving behind horrendous injuries which reflected barbaric behaviour. 

The court said, “The satisfaction of lust was the only motive.” It added that Kamble appeared to have acted with a sense of complete impunity. It noted, “He seemed to believe, based on his past crime history, that even if he was prosecuted, nothing would happen to him.” 

Details of the horrific rape-murder

Kamble lured the girl in May 2026 by promising snacks and showing a newborn calf in Nasrapur. He then took her to a shed near a cattle barn, violated her and then murdered her by gagging her and inflicting injuries on her chest. 

The judge said, “The offence was committed outrageously and involved inhuman treatment and torture of the victim. The victim was an innocent, helpless child. The murder was committed to satisfy lust, which evidences total depravity. It was a cold-blooded murder without provocation.” 

Citing the sheer magnitude of the crime, the toddler’s innocence and chilling details in the autopsy reports and photographs, Judge Salunkhe said the matter was placed in the ‘rarest of rare’ category. The court ruled, “It was only and only the accused committing  the crime..The manner of the commission, the motive and the barbaric magnitude leave no room for leniency. More stringent punishment than death cannot be provided under the law.”

Maha CM welcomes verdict

Soon after the verdict was delivered, Maharashtra Chief Minister (CM) Devendra Fadnavis welcomed it and praised the police, as well as the prosecution. He said, “The judiciary has delivered the right decision, and such accused have no right to live in society.” 

He then thanked the court and congratulated the Pune District Police’s Superintendent and public prosecutor for procuring a befitting punishment for the accused.