'Rarest Of The Rare': 65-year-old Man Awarded Death Sentence For Rape-murder Of 3-year-old Girl

Pune: A special court in Pune on Monday awarded the death penalty to a 65-year-old man, Bhimrao Kambale, for kidnapping, brutal rape and murder of a three-year-old girl in Nasrapur village, an incident that triggered public outrage and protests in Maharashtra.

The incident took place on May 1, 2026 and the whole case was taken up in a fast-track court. The Court stated the nature of the crime was heinous, and the motive of the crime qualified the accused to be awarded the death penalty.

Terming the case as "rarest of the rare", Additional Judge (special judge) S R Salunkhe sentenced Kamble, who was present in the witness box.

As the judge pronounced the capital punishment, the family of the victim broke down in court. Reading out the operative part of the decision, Judge Salunkhe said that the evidence clearly established aggravating circumstances in favour of the prosecution.

"The offences relate to the commission of serious crimes like murder and rape by an accused with a prior record and a substantial history of serious assault," the court observed.

The court had convicted the accused on June 25, within sixty days of the crime.

Kamble was accused of luring the young girl with the promise of snacks and showing her a newborn calf in Nasrapur village in Pune district. He took her to a shed near a cattle barn, subjected her to sexual and unnatural assault, and subsequently murdered her by gagging her and inflicting chest injuries.

"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. The crime was committed so brutally that it shocks not only the judicial conscience but even the conscience of society," Judge Salunkhe noted.

The court further noted that there were no mitigating circumstances in this case, probably because they were unavailable to the accused.

"The only circumstance that could be posed is the age of the accused, 65 years. According to me, this cannot be taken as mitigating. Rather, it is aggravating," the judge said.

Special Public Prosecutor Advocate Ajay Misar stated that the prosecution team prioritised the gravity of the offence throughout the trial. "The case was placed for the final judgement today. The court delivered its verdict. In this judgment, the prosecution concluded that all the charges against the accused were proven beyond a reasonable doubt. The court concluded that the accused was guilty under all the sections of the IPC and declared him guilty," said Misar.

To emphasise the demand for the maximum possible penalty, the prosecution cited 12 landmark Supreme Court judgments that discuss the necessity of capital punishment and the death penalty for heinous crimes involving minors.

Political Reactions:

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Ajit Pawar - "The court's verdict in the deeply distressing case of the rape and murder of a minor girl from Nasrapur, in Pune district, reinforces faith in the judicial system. There is no place in society for such heinous acts. The safety of every girl and woman is this government's top priority, and the resolve to take stringent action against such crimes remains steadfast. Justice has been served, yet society and the administration must remain collectively vigilant to ensure such incidents do not recur. There is no pardon for barbaric crimes like rape and murder. The court's decision strengthens confidence in the judiciary. Our government is committed to women's safety, and the strictest possible action will continue to be taken against criminals who harbour such depraved mindsets."

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde - "The court's verdict in the deeply distressing case involving the rape and murder of a minor girl from Nasrapur in Pune district reinforces our faith in the judicial system. There is no place in society for such heinous acts. The safety of every woman and girl is this government's top priority, and the resolve to take stringent action against such crimes remains steadfast. Justice has been served, yet society and the administration must remain collectively vigilant to ensure such incidents do not recur. There is no pardon for barbaric crimes like rape and murder. The court's decision strengthens confidence in the judiciary. Our government is committed to women's safety, and the strictest possible action will continue to be taken against criminals who harbour such depraved mindsets."

Maharashtra Minister Pankaja Munde - "As a woman, I am satisfied that the court delivered a death sentence through a fast-track process. I feel a sense of relief. There are certain crimes, so heinous, that even after punishment is handed down, one feels the perpetrator deserves even harsher retribution. If fast-track verdicts like this become the norm, monsters will think twice before committing such crimes, and fear will be instilled in their minds."

Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) chief Uddhav Thackeray: "The court has given an appropriate decision. Now, we should not just be satisfied with the decision given; instead, this sentence needs to be implemented at the earliest. This should be done to ensure there are no repeated appeals with 'tariq pe tariq', else this will complicate matters. The investigations were conducted within a stipulated deadline, based on which the fast track court has given an appropriate decision and the punishment, if given, will help to deter such monsters in future."

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