Aluva rape and murder case: Court to pronounce quantum of punishment on November 14

Kochi: The Ernakulam POCSO court will pronounce the quantum of punishment in the Aluva rape and murder case against accused Ashfaq Alam on November 14. The prosecution reiterated on Thursday (Nov 9) that the accused should be given the maximum penalty of death. The prosecution pointed out that the manner in which the accused was executed was rare and after the rape, the 5-year-old girl was brutally murdered without even being allowed to breathe the stench of the garbage dump.

The prosecution also argued that the accused who molested another child in Delhi the same year the child was born did not deserve any punishment less than death. The accused repeated in court that he had not committed the crime. Out of the 16 offenses against the accused, there will be no punishment in three sections which are general in nature. Punishment will be imposed in 13 sections as similar sections have higher punishments.

Counsel for the accused pleaded with the court not to apply the death penalty, citing the accused's age. Ashfaq Alam is 27 years old.

Earlier, the court had found the Bihar native guilty of the brutal crime that sent shockwaves across Kerala. The prosecution has demanded maximum punishment as all the 16 charges have proved. The major development came after 100 days of the brutal crime. A special team was formed to investigate the brutal act and the chargesheet was filed within 30 days. The trial, which started on October 4, was completed in 26 days and the verdict is being pronounced swiftly. 

The appalling incident that sent shockwaves across the state took place on July 28. The lifeless body of the five-year-old girl was tragically discovered in a garbage yard, almost a day after she was abducted from her family's rented house in Aluva, near Kochi. 

• Aluva rape and murder case verdict
• Ashfaq Alam
• Aluva rape case