A Raipur court has awarded the death penalty to Panchram, convicted of the brutal murder of a 4-year-old boy in 2022. The convict, driven by unrequited obsession, abducted the child, doused him in petrol, and set him ablaze to exact revenge against the boy’s mother. The heinous crime that triggered widespread outrage across Chhattisgarh, unfolded in Raipur’s Urla area, where Panchram, a trusted neighbour of the victim’s family, exploited their trust to carry out the barbaric act.

The incident unfolded on the morning of April 5, 2022, when Harsh, the son of daily-wager Jayendra, went missing from his home in Urla.
Panchram, a neighbour and a trusted family acquaintance, had lured the child away on his motorcycle. By evening, Harsh’s charred remains were
discovered at a cremation ground in Bemetara district, 70 kilometers away.

The investigation revealed that Panchram, who lived in the same rental complex as Harsh’s family, harbored an obsessive affection for the
boy’s mother. Police stated that Panchram, whose wife had left him years ago, abducted and killed Harsh to take revenge after his advances toward the boy’s mother were spurned. “Panchram wanted to eliminate Harsh, believing that this would pave the way for him to get closer to the boy’s mother,” said an official involved in the case.

Panchram was arrested within days after he sold his motorcycle in Bhilai and attempted to flee the state. During interrogation, he confessed to the crime, providing details that shocked even seasoned investigators. Evidence, including eyewitness accounts and forensic findings, established his guilt. The court, in its judgment, noted the premeditated and barbaric nature of the crime, stating that it fell into the “rarest of rare” category warranting capital punishment.

The boy’s mother, who had previously endured unwanted advances from Panchram, expressed her anguish during the trial. “He took away my son to punish me for rejecting him. No punishment can bring my child back, but I am relieved that justice has been served,” she said.

This is the first death sentence handed down in Raipur in 46 years, marking a significant moment in the city’s judicial history. The last execution in Raipur was carried out on October 25, 1978, when Baiju, a convict found guilty of murdering four people for ₹2,000, was hanged at the Raipur Central Jail. The recent verdict, delivered just two and a half years after the gruesome incident, highlights the judiciary’s commitment to swift and decisive action in heinous crimes.

Crimes against children remain a significant concern in India. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), over 43,000 cases involving minors were reported in 2023. Such statistics underscore the need for robust preventive mechanisms, including community vigilance and awareness campaigns, to ensure children’s safety.