India, March 28 -- The court additional session judge (fast track special court under POCSO Act), Ludhaina, has awarded death penalty to a 28-year-old man from Uttar Pradesh for the rape and murder of a four-year-old girl.

Additional session judge Amar Jeet Singh found the accused, Sonu Singh, guilty of committing the crime.

The court has sentenced the accused to death under Section 302 (murder) of the IPC and Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The court has also imposed a fine of Rs.5.5 lakh on the accused and ordered compensation of Rs.10 lakh to the victim's family.

According to the prosecution, the accused, who was known to the victim's family and was a guest in their neighbourhood, lured the ...