Bahraich, Jan. 10 -- A court here convicted and awarded the death penalty to one of the three men accused of murdering a 10-year-old boy as part of a "sacrifice" nearly three years ago. The other two accused were acquitted for lack of evidence. The court of additional district and sessions judge (IV) Sunil Prasad, which imposed a fine of Rs 1,00,000 on Anoop Verma, convicted him on Friday for brutally murdering his 10-year-old cousin by slitting his throat. While delivering the verdict, the court observed that the convicted accused committed the murder of the child in a pre-planned and calculated manner. Considering the seriousness, motive and manner of the offence, it concluded that the crime fell in the "rarest of rare" category and that the accused deserved the maximum punishment, thereby justifying the award of the death penalty. Giving details of the case, additional district government counsel (ADGC) Sunil Kumar Jaisawal said the boy's father, Kishun, who lives in a hamlet under Kotwalli Nanpara police station limits, reported on March 23, 2023 that his son had been brutally murdered. An FIR under Section 302 of the IPC was registered against unknown persons. During the investigation, the involvement of three men-Anoop Verma, Chintaram, and Jangli (Jagli Putra Kallu)-came to light. The ADGC said Verma told investigators that he believed that "sacrificing" his cousin would cure his two-and-a-half-year-old son from "severe mental illness". He was allegedly influenced to do so by Jangli, who practiced esoteric rituals. Chintaram also helped him. On the basis of Verma's confession, police recovered the murder weapon from near the crime scenes. The charge sheet in the case was submitted to the court April 26, 2023, and charges were framed by the court on October 30 of that year. After detailed hearings, the court on Friday acquitted Chintaram and Jangli, citing lack of sufficient evidence, while holding Anoop Verma guilty under Section 302 of the IPC and sentenced him to death. Terming the circumstances as "aggravating in nature," the court observed that the murder was not impulsive but executed with clear intent, making the crime exceptionally brutal and inhuman. The misuse of faith, superstition, and familial bonds to justify such an act, the court said, reflects the rarest form of criminal depravity....