Karnal, May 16 -- A fast-track court in Yamunanagar on Thursday awarded the death penalty to 24-year-old Rajesh Kumar alias Nirmal for the rape and murder of a six-year-old girl in 2024. The convict, a resident of the same village, was found guilty of the crime that shocked the local community. The incident occurred on September 20, 2024, when the girl went missing while playing with her friends. Her body was later discovered in the sugarcane fields near her village, under the jurisdiction of Chhachhrauli police station. Yamunanagar district attorney Dharam Chand said that special public prosecutor GK Tandon represented the state in the trial. The verdict was delivered by Additional District Sessions Judge (Fast Track Special Court), Yamunanagar at Jagadhari, under Sections 140(1) and 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 6 of the POCSO Act. The judgement was pronounced on Tuesday and the formal order issued on Thursday. According to official records, the girl's father filed a police complaint on the evening of September 20, reporting that his youngest daughter had gone missing while playing outside their home. She was a Class 2 student at a local government school and also attended coaching classes at a neighbour's house. He told police that she had gone to play with friends after returning from school, while he was away at work in town. Upon returning home in the evening and finding her missing, the family began searching for her, but to no avail. Later, some villagers informed the family that they had seen Rajesh taking the child toward the fields. Acting on this information, the family and villagers searched the area and discovered the girl's body in the sugarcane fields, a short distance from the village. Following this, an FIR was registered on the same day at Chhachhrauli police station under Sections 140(1) and 103(1) of the BNS. The next day, a medical board conducted the autopsy at the district civil hospital, after which the body was handed over to the family for the last rites. Based on available evidence, police arrested Rajesh, interrogated him during his remand, and later sent him to judicial custody. Medical reports confirmed that the girl had been raped, leading to the addition of Sections 65(2) and 66 of the BNS and Section 6 of the POCSO Act to the FIR. Superintendent of police Surender Singh Bhoria said sub-inspector Rohtas led the investigation, gathering critical evidence, conducting a scientific probe, and building a strong case in court. The court sentenced Rajesh to death under Section 6 of the POCSO Act and Section 103(1) of the BNS. Additionally, he was fined Rs.10,000 for each offence. "He shall be hanged till he is dead. The order is subject to confirmation by the Punjab and Haryana high court, Chandigarh," the court stated. Furthermore, he was sentenced to seven years of rigorous imprisonment under Section 140(1) of the BNS, along with a fine of Rs.5,000. "All sentences shall run concurrently," the court added....