A court in Firozabad has sentenced Viraj and Jitendra Pathak to death for the murder of a 1-year-old child [1].
The ruling marks a severe legal response to a crime involving a minor, highlighting the judicial system's approach to extreme violence and revenge-based killings in the region.
The incident occurred in Bamai village, located in the Firozabad district of Uttar Pradesh [1, 2]. According to court proceedings, the toddler was killed after being repeatedly thrown onto a road [1, 2].
Investigators determined the motive for the killing was revenge [2]. The attack allegedly followed a situation where the child's mother, Rati Devi, rejected a marriage proposal from the accused [2].
The District and Sessions Court handed down the death penalty to both accused men [1]. The sentencing follows the presentation of evidence, including CCTV footage of the crime [2].
Following the verdict, Rati Devi expressed her grief and a desire for the perpetrators to suffer. "As I am suffering, let them suffer too," she said [1].
“The toddler was killed after being repeatedly thrown onto a road.”
The imposition of the death penalty in this case reflects the court's classification of the crime as 'rarest of rare,' a legal standard in India used to justify capital punishment. By linking the motive to a rejected marriage proposal, the case underscores the intersection of gender-based rejection and violent retaliation against dependents.
