Jamnagar, October 9, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
A special Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) court in Gujarat’s Jamnagar district has sentenced a man to death for murdering an eight-year-old girl after subjecting her to prolonged physical abuse, including burns inflicted with matchsticks and repeated assaults with an iron pestle.
The court classified the crime as one of the “rarest of the rare” cases, citing the evidence presented during the trial and the gravity of the offence.
The convict, Nitin Manek, a resident of Sikka in Jamnagar district, was found guilty of murder and awarded the death penalty. He was also sentenced to life imprisonment under the POCSO Act and fined Rs 50,000, officials said.
The crime took place in Sikka in 2025 and initially went undetected. Police subsequently launched an investigation, which led to Manek’s identification and arrest.
Investigators collected scientific, technical and documentary evidence and filed a chargesheet before the court within 35 days of the incident. During the trial, the public prosecutor examined 23 witnesses and presented around 95 documentary exhibits to establish the prosecution’s case.
After evaluating the evidence and the circumstances surrounding the crime, the court imposed the death sentence for murder, along with the additional punishment under the POCSO Act.
Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi congratulated the police team and the judiciary following the verdict.
Officials said the state government, led by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, maintained a zero-tolerance policy towards crimes against women and girls. The verdict follows an investigation and prosecution in which the chargesheet was filed within 35 days of the incident.
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