Ismail, also known as Ismail Yusuf Hajat, was found guilty and convicted by Additional Sessions Judge Shankuntala Solanki on Monday for the abduction, rape, and murder of a 20-month-old child. The judge sentenced him to the death penalty for committing the heinous crime.
The charges against him were based on sections 302 (murder) and 376AB (rape of a girl under 12 years of age) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and various sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Confirming the court’s decision, Nayan Sukhadwala, the district government pleader, stated that Ismail also received a life imprisonment sentence for sections 364 (kidnapping with intent to murder) and 366 (kidnapping with intent to rape) of the IPC. In addition to these harsh sentences, he was ordered to pay a fine of ₹1,000.
Considering the devastated state of the victim’s family, the court went further, instructing Ismail to pay ₹10 lacks to the grieving relatives. The brutality of the crime became apparent when it was revealed that the young girl’s body had suffered severe injuries, including bite marks on her abdominal area.
The prosecution’s case was built on substantial evidence, revealing that Ismail, who was acquainted with the girl’s father, cunningly deceived the innocent child by promising to buy her snacks on February 27. However, Ismail never returned with the child, causing great distress to the family, who promptly alerted the police. Tragically, several hours later, the lifeless body of the girl was discovered near a lake, hidden behind an abandoned building in Kapletha village. At this point, Ismail had already disappeared.
Despite the setbacks, the police launched an exhaustive search operation and eventually tracked Ismail down to a village near Surat. On February 28, they apprehended him, and he was subsequently charged with the appalling crimes of rape and murder.
