Police submitted two charge sheets in the case on January 13, 2017 and December 4, this year. As many as 20 prosecution witnesses deposed during the trial. (Representational Image) A district court in Manipur Wednesday awarded the death sentence to a man for the rape and murder of his pregnant girlfriend in 2010.
Special judge Justice A. Noutuneshwari Devi announced the verdict two days after the conviction of Irom Chaoren Singh (30) of Thoubal district under IPC Sections 376 (rape), 302 (murder) and 316 (causing the death of an unborn child).
On June 18, 2010, Singh had choked his pregnant 23-year-old girlfriend, raped her, poured poison into her mouth, and drowned her in the Imphal river. He did not want to marry the woman and sought to get rid of the pregnancy, said the police.
The police submitted two charge sheets, on January 13, 2017 and December 4, 2020, against Singh. As many as 20 prosecution witnesses deposed during the trial.
“When the crime is so brutal, shocking to the conscience of the womanhood, sympathy would be misplaced and it would lose the confidence of the society at large in the administration of criminal justice system… and the court administrating criminal justice system and in such type of case, the court should respond and settle what would be deterrent punishment for what was apparently abominable crime. And this case is categorized as ‘rarest of the rare’ as the crime committed by the convict is so inhuman, barbaric and merciless and his intention and motive was beyond the thoughts of the rational human being. Such cruelty and inhuman act deserve to be wiped out and there is no mitigating factor to deter in other alternative punishment,” ruled the special judge of the Thoubal court.
Justice Noutuneshwari Devi also recommended compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the victim’s brother.
