Aluva murder case: Quantum of sentence against Asafak Alam to be pronounced today

KOCHI: The court will pronounce today the quantum of sentence against Asafak Alam found guilty for sexually abusing and murdering a five-year-old girl in Aluva. He was found guilty by the Ernakulam POCSO Court. All 16 charges imposed against the accused were proved. The prosecution has sought maximum punishment to the accused.

The Ernakulam POCSO Court judge K Soman will pronounce the sentence at 11 am today on Children's Day. The sentence is pronounced on the day the POCSO laws came into force in the country.

The shocking incident happened on July 28. A special team was formed to investigate the brutal rape and murder of the minor, daughter of a migrant couple in Aluva.

The charge sheet was filed in 30 days. The trial began on October 4. Asafaq Alam, a native of Bihar, is the sole accused in the case. Apart from various sections of the POCSO Act, 16 charges including murder, rape and kidnapping have been charged against Asafaq. He is likely to get maximum punishment for three charges.

Asafaq also lived near the girl’s house. The girl, who was playing in front of the house was brutally raped after luring her and taking her behind the garbage dump in Aluva market and forcing her to drink alcohol. To destroy evidence, he strangled her to death with the dress she was wearing. He disfigured her face with a stone. He tied her in a sack and dumped the body in the garbage.

The accused was arrested on that day itself.

The police investigated the case after collecting around 50 CCTV visuals and other scientific evidences. He had served jail term earlier also in a rape case.