Death Sentence For Joynagar Rapist Who Raped and Killed A Minor, Within 62 days Since The Crime

In a landmark ruling, the Baruipur POCSO Court on Friday pronounced the death sentence for Mustakin Sardar, the 19-year-old man convicted of raping and murdering a 10-year-old girl from Joynagar, in 62 days since the crime. The crime, which occurred on October 5, 2024, was followed by a fast-track investigation by Bengal police. The incident had sparked widespread anger and protests across the state, especially in a climate still reeling from the earlier shock of the RG Kar Medical College case.


The trial was concluded in 31 days, with the conviction pronounced on December 5, 2024, by Justice Subrata Chattopadhyay, a Fast Additional District Judge. Sardar was found guilty under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 103 (murder), 65 (rape), and 66 (punishment for causing death or resulting in a persistent vegetative state of the victim). The court heard the testimony of 36 witnesses in the case, and Sardar was sentenced to death under the provisions of the BNS that mandate either life imprisonment or capital punishment.


The minor, while returning home, was picked up on the bicycle by the culprit Mustakin Sardar and later sexually assaulted her and then finally killed her.

Timeline of Key Events:

* October 4, 2024: The victim, a 9-year-old girl, was sexually assaulted and murdered while returning home in Joynagar. An FIR was immediately filed by the police under the Baruipur Police District.

* October 7, 2024: The Calcutta High Court ordered a second autopsy, to be carried out by AIIMS Kalyani, under the supervision of the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) of Baruipur court.

* October 8, 2024: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed by Bengal Police, led by the SP of Baruipur Police District, to accelerate the investigation.

* October 30, 2024: The police filed the chargesheet in just 25 days, a fast-tracked effort that underscored the urgency of the case.

* November 4, 2024: The trial began before the Baruipur POCSO court, with hearings starting soon after the chargesheet was filed.

* November 26, 2024: The trial was completed in just 23 days, with 36 witnesses providing testimony in the case.

* December 5, 2024: The POCSO court convicted Mustakin Sardar of rape and murder.

* December 6, 2024: The death sentence was pronounced, concluding the swift legal proceedings.


The case had drawn widespread condemnation from both the public and political leaders. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee strongly condemned the incident and called for capital punishment for the accused. The Chief Minister had earlier set a three-month deadline for the investigation to be completed and for a fast-tracked trial, urging that the maximum punishment be meted out to the perpetrator.


This case came on the heels of the shocking August 9, 2024, RG Kar Medical College incident, in which a 31-year-old medical student was brutally raped and murdered inside the hospital premises. The case sparked national protests and intensified public anger over sexual violence. In response to these incidents, the state government introduced the Aparjita Bill, an amendment to the newly enacted Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The bill calls for fast trials and capital punishment for rapists. However, the bill is still awaiting the President’s assent. The RG Kar matter, investigated first by Kolkata Police and later by CBI, too has reached the trial stage. The trial in the case has begun on November 4 and it is still on.​