Shivraj Singh Chouhan
Condemning the rape of an eight-year-old girl in Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday said that rapists were “burden on the earth” and do not deserve to live.
“Yeh darinde dharti par bojh hai. Yeh dharti par jeevit rahne ke layak nahi hai,” (These beasts are a burden on the earth. They do not deserve to live),” Chouhan told reporters at his residence.
“In cases of rape, we have made a provision for trial in the fast track courts. We will request the high court and the Supreme Court to make a similar provision so that culprits in such crimes get capital punishment at the earliest,” he added.
The Madhya Pradesh Assembly had unanimously passed a Bill last year awarding death penalty to those found guilty of raping girls aged 12 and below.
On the Mandsaur episode, Chouhan said, “It was a painful incident. We are with the (victim’s) family and keeping an eye on the girl’s condition. Her condition is improving and I am in constant touch with the doctors.”
“The accused has already been arrested and there is evidence against him. We will ensure through fast track courts that he will get capital punishment at the earliest,” the chief minister said.
The incident had taken place on Tuesday evening when the minor was waiting for her family members outside her school in order to go home. The accused, Irfan alias Bhaiyu (20) abducted her and took her to the bus stand area, where he raped her in the bushes near Laxman Darwaja, police have said.
The accused, who even tried to kill her by slitting her throat using a knife, was arrested on Wednesday night.
(With PTI inputs)
