Bhopal:

Three months after a four-year-old girl was raped and brutalised on July 1 night, a court in Madhya Pradesh’s Satna district handed her rapist — a guest teacher at a village school — the death sentence on Wednesday. The conviction is unique in that the survivor’s statement was taken via video conferencing which proved vital in the trial.

The state government flew the survivor to AIIMS on July 3 and CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan spoke with the doctors treating her the next day. After the judgment, Chouhan tweeted: “I express my gratitude towards those people who have contributed to ensuring justice to the innocent and protection of society.”

While sentencing the 25-year-old convict to death, additional district judge Nagaud said: “In Indian social system, daughters are considered heritage of the nation. Incidents like this cannot be allowed in civilised society.”

“He brutalised the child in such a manner that there was no scope for mercy. We had produced all medical reports before the court. I am confident that the higher courts will uphold the judgment,” said DSP Kiran Kiro, who investigated the case.