“Barbaric And Inhuman”: Karnataka High Court Upholds Death Penalty For Mangaluru Child Gang Rape & Murder

BENGALURU — In a stern judgment aimed at curbing brutal sexual violence with an “iron hand,” the Karnataka High Court has upheld the death sentence for three men convicted of the gang rape and murder of a seven-year-old girl in Mangaluru. On February 6, 2026, a division bench comprising Justices H.P. Sandesh and Venkatesh Naik T described the 2021 incident as a “diabolical” act that shocked the collective conscience of society.

The court emphasized that the premeditated nature of the crime—targeting a helpless child of migrant workers—placed it firmly within the “rarest of rare” category, necessitating the ultimate penalty.

1. The Brutality of the 2021 Crime

The incident, which took place in November 2021 on the outskirts of Mangaluru, involved the daughter of migrant laborers working at a tile factory.

• Premeditation: The prosecution proved that the convicts, who worked at the same factory, had planned the assault for months.
• The Act: The girl was lured away with sweets and candies while playing with her siblings. She was taken to a room specifically chosen for its lack of CCTV coverage, where the three men took turns raping her.
• The Murder: To silence her screams, the convicts covered her mouth and strangled her, causing her to die “on the spot.”
• Evidence Tampering: The body was subsequently dumped in a drain and hidden under bricks. A fourth accused in the case remains at large after jumping bail during the trial.

2. High Court’s Legal Reasoning

The bench dismissed the possibility of life imprisonment, noting that the “barbaric” nature of the gang rape outweighed any mitigating factors, such as the young age of the accused.

Key Judicial Observations:

• Collective Conscience: The court held that crimes of this magnitude must be met with the highest level of deterrence to protect the dignity of children.
• Article 21 vs. Brutality: While acknowledging the constitutional respect for human life under Article 21, the judges noted that the balance tilts toward the death penalty when crimes against the helpless are “exceptionally cruel and inhuman.”
• No Room for Leniency: The bench stated that a lesser sentence would send the “wrong message” to the public and fail to serve as a societal denunciation of brutal sexual violence.

3. Evidence and Findings

The High Court confirmed that the prosecution had established an “unbroken chain of circumstances,” relying on a wealth of evidence:

• Forensic & Medical: DNA and forensic reports linked the convicts directly to the victim.
• CCTV & Testimony: Footage from surrounding areas and witness accounts from the factory premises corroborated the timeline of the abduction and disposal of the body.
• Pre-planned Execution: The deliberate avoidance of cameras and the use of candies as bait proved a high degree of premeditation.

4. Case Summary: State of Karnataka vs. Convicts (Mangaluru)