A Pune special court on sentenced 65-year-old Bhimrao Kambale to death for the kidnapping, sexual assault and murder of a 3-year-old girl in Nasrapur village of Pune district, delivering a judgment that described the crime as “heinous”, “cold-blooded” and one that deeply wounds both judicial and collective conscience.
Additional Special Judge S R Salunkhe pronounced the sentence after convicting the accused on June 25. The case, arising from a May 1, 2026, incident, was completed through a fast-tracked trial that concluded in roughly 60 days, marking the accelerated judicial response in a case involving extreme sexual violence.
Deception that led to a fatal crime
According to the prosecution, the accused lured the victim away under the pretext of offering snacks and showing her a newborn calf. She was then taken to a secluded shed near a cattle barn in Nasrapur, where the court found that she was subjected to sexual assault.
The judgment recorded that the victim was subsequently murdered in a brutal and calculated manner, including gagging and fatal chest injuries. The court observed that the act was committed without provocation and solely to satisfy lust, describing it as an instance of “total moral depravity” and extreme cruelty.
The court finds no mitigating factor
In its sentencing order, the court categorically held that no mitigating circumstance existed in the case. It rejected the defence argument that the accused’s age of 65 should be considered in his favour, stating that age could not dilute the gravity of the offence.
The court further noted the absence of remorse on the part of the accused and observed that his conduct reflected a continuing danger to society. It concluded that the possibility of reform was effectively ruled out, making the case fit for capital punishment under the “rarest of the rare” doctrine.
The judgment also emphasised that the brutality of the crime had not only shocked judicial conscience but also offended the collective conscience of society.
Prosecution builds case on evidence and precedent
Special Public Prosecutor Advocate Ajay Misar submitted that the prosecution had consistently highlighted the seriousness of the offence throughout the trial. He said all charges under the Indian Penal Code were proved beyond reasonable doubt through a combination of forensic evidence, witness statements and circumstantial material.
To support the demand for the death penalty, the prosecution relied on 12 Supreme Court judgments interpreting the “rarest of rare” principle, particularly in cases involving sexual violence against females.
Swift trial concludes with strong judicial response
The accused was arrested on the day of the incident, the charge sheet was filed within 16 days, and charges were framed on May 28. The conviction followed on June 25, leading to the final sentencing.
As the court pronounced the death penalty, the victim’s family broke down inside the courtroom, marking an emotionally charged end to proceedings that moved from investigation to judgment within a tightly compressed timeframe.
The verdict closes a case that has drawn significant public attention for both its brutality and the speed of its trial, reinforcing the judiciary’s strict stance that crimes of such severity will attract the severest punishment under law.
