Youth awarded death sentence for rape and murder of minor, assaulted in jail

THRISSUR: A youth, accused in the brutal rape and murder of a five-year-old girl in Aluva, was assaulted in Viyyur jail. Ashafaq Alam (30) of Bihar was assaulted in the jail. Ashafaq had a fight with co-prisoner Rahilal and the latter assaulted him. Ashafaq sustained head injuries and was taken to the hospital. There are stitches on his head, he was brought back and locked in a cell. The police have registered a case on Ashafaq’s complaint. The jail authorities may shift the two to different jails.

Ashafaq Alam is an accused in the case of abducting, brutally raping and killing a five-year-old girl, daughter of migrants in Aluva. The incident happened on July 28, 2023. In addition to various sections of the POCSO Act, 16 charges including murder, rape and kidnapping were filed against Ashafaq. The trial court had ordered the accused to be hanged till death in the case.

Ashafaq also lived near the child's house. He lured the child who was playing in front of the house by buying her juice, took her behind a garbage dump in Aluva market and made her drink alcohol, and then raped her brutally. To destroy evidence, he took the child's dress and strangled her to death. He smashed her face with a stone and mutilated her. He took the body in a sack and covered her in the garbage behind the Aluva market. He was arrested on that day itself. The police collected about 50 CCTV footage and other scientific evidence during investigation.