Ahmedabad: The Gujarat government will demand capital punishment for the accused involved in rape of three minor girls in separate incidents recently, Minister of State for Home Pradeepsinh Jadeja said Monday here. Jadeja said the government will also request the high court to shift these cases to fast track courts. The incidents had occurred in Vadodara, Rajkot and Surat last week.
While the accused involved in the Rajkot and Surat incidents have already been arrested, police are looking for the culprits of the Vadodara incident.
Jadeja said the Gujarat government would appoint special public prosecutors as well as ‘pairvi’ officers (prosecuting officers) to ensure justice for the victims.
“Accused have been already arrested in Rajkot and Surat cases. Police have formed 25 teams to trace the accused who had raped a 14-year-old girl in Vadodara,” Jadeja told reporters in Gandhinagar.
Jadeja said the maximum penalty for such crimes where victims are minors is death penalty as per amended law.
“Our government will try to ensure that these accused get capital punishment. We will urge the High Court to shift these cases to fast track courts for a speedy trial,” informed the minister.
A 14-year-old girl was raped by two unidentified men November 28 evening when she was sitting with her friend at Navlakhi ground in Vadodara. In Surat, an 11-year-old girl was raped by her 30-year-old step-father November 29. The accused was arrested.
In Rajkot, an eight-year-old girl sleeping in a public park was raped by a 22-year-old man on November 29 night who was arrested later.
PTI