Mulling changing law to award death to sexual assaulters of kids: Govt

Government is actively considering amending the penal law to introduce death penalty to those convicted of sexually abusing children up to 12 years of age, the Supreme Court was informed today.

The assertion of the Centre assumes significance following the public outcry for award of death penalty to such sexual offenders, including the assaulters of an 8-year-old girl who was gang raped and killed at Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir recently.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, hearing a PIL relating to the brutal rape of an 8-month-old child allegedly by her 28-year-old cousin, was given a copy of a letter by Additional Solicitor General (ASG) P S Narasimha to apprise it that the Law Ministry was contemplating changes in the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POSCO) Act.

The communication of a deputy secretary, addressed to the ASG, reads, "I am directed...to inform that the issues raised in the petition regarding amendment of provisions of the POCSO Act, 2012 so as to provide maximum punishment of death penalty for commission of offences of rape of children of 0-12 year of age group is under active consideration of the Ministry.

"The Ministry is sensitive to the plight of young children brutaly abused in the most horrific manner. The Ministry is proposing to amend the POCSO Act for introducing death penalty for the abuser in the cases of aggravated sexual assault against children."