A 23-year-old engineer, who raped and killed his seven-year-old neighbour in February last year at an apartment complex near Chennai, will hang, the Madras High Court ruled today. He had also allegedly killed his mother after being let off on bail on a petition by his father.
S Dashwanth had lured the girl to his apartment saying he would allow her to play with his puppy. He raped the child and suffocated her. Then he stuffed her body in a bag and set it on fire on a highway.
Dashwanth was given a death sentence by a local court in February this year. He then challenged the verdict in Madras High Court.
The case, which drew public outrage, was challenging as there was no witness and investigators had to depend on circumstantial evidence.
In December last year, Dashwanth allegedly murdered his mother S Sarala after he got out on bail. Investigators said he killed her, stole her jewellery and fled to Mumbai. He was caught again in Mumbai though he was able to trick the Chennai police and escape. He was arrested a day later.
A separate murder case is pending against him.