MEERUT: Calling it “one of the most heinous and inhuman crimes known to society since the victims will have to endure the pain and humiliation caused by this act at every step of their lives”, a Pocso court in Bulandshahr on Monday sentenced five men to life in jail along with a hefty fine of Rs 1.8 lakh each for the brutal gang rape of a woman and her 13-year-old daughter at gunpoint on national highway-91 in UP in 2016.The court of special judge-III, Om Prakash Verma, observed: “Rape is not merely an assault – it completely destroys the victim’s entire personality. A rapist not only attacks the victim’s privacy and personal liberty but also causes severe psychological and physical trauma as a result of the crime. There is a strong possibility that the victim may suffer from depression in the future as her life becomes bleak and dark…. It is difficult even to imagine whether this young girl (now 22) will ever be able to recover from this appalling incident.”The court also stated that “on the one hand, the Govt of India and several state govts are promoting campaigns such as ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ (Save the Daughter, Educate the Daughter), and yet if a harsh stance is not adopted against such barbaric acts (which are) still occurring in modern times, then neither will daughters be safe nor will they be able to study.” It added that “such incidents render these governmental campaigns meaningless”.It further observed that “in such cases, adopting a lenient approach towards convicts is not justified from the standpoint of justice as they’ve committed this crime with inhumanity and extreme brutality”.
