Pune 3-year-old rape case: Why judge refused to consider 65-year-old convict's age before death sentence

NBetimes 2 months after the outrage and off of a three-year-old miss in Pune district's Nasrapur village sent shock waves across Maharashtra, a special Pune court on Monday gave a death penalty to a 65-year-old man.The capital punishment was pronounced by Additional Judge (special judge) S R Salunkhe. The judge, categorizing the case as the "rarest of the rare," made it clear that the brutality of the crime left no room for leniency, news agency PTI reported.A pattern of "total depravity"The incident took place on May 1. The accused, Kamble lured the three-year-old child with a promise of snacks and the excitement of seeing a newborn calf.Also read | 65-year-old convicted in Nasrapur child rape, murderHe led her to a secluded shed near a cattle barn where he subjected her to sexual and unnatural assault. To cover his tracks, he murdered her by gagging her and inflicting severe chest injuries.Judge Salunkhe observed that the evidence established aggravating circumstances, noting that Kamble had a "substantial history of serious assault," including prior offences involving a 62-year-old woman, a 17-year-old girl, and an animal.Also read | Nasrapur case among Maharashtra’s fastest POCSO convictions"The offence was committed outrageously and involved inhuman treatment and torture of the victim," the judge stated. "The murder was committed to satisfy lust, which evidences total depravity. It was a cold-blooded murder without provocation."Why age offered no mercyDuring the trial, the defense sought a lighter sentence, citing Kamble’s advanced age of 65 and his denial of the crime as reasons for mitigation. However, the court rejected this logic entirely, choosing instead to view his age as a reason for a harsher stance.Judge Salunkhe observed as per PTI, "The thirst for lust of the accused is not extinguished even at such an age. Rather, it has reached a very dangerous stage." He further noted that the injuries on the three-year-old’s body reflected "inhuman behaviour," pointing out that Kamble acted "fearlessly, most violently and without bothering about consequences, because he had prior experience that even if prosecuted, nothing would happen in court."A Verdict for collective conscienceThis case moved through the legal system with remarkable speed, resulting in a conviction on June 25—less than two months after the crime took place.The prosecution successfully argued that Kamble was "beyond reform." Their stance was validated by the court’s observation that such crimes continue to haunt the nation despite the implementation of stricter laws and special courts following the Nirbhaya case.In his closing observations, Judge Salunkhe remarked that the sheer brutality of the act "shocks not only the judicial conscience but even the conscience of society."(With PTI inputs)