Centre Approves Death Penalty For Aggravated Sexual Offence Against Children

Photo: Courtesy Hindustan Times

New Delhi: The Centre today approved a proposal for award of death penalty in aggravated sexual offence against children, the development of which comes against the backdrop of some recent incidents which shook the conscious of the nation.

The Union Cabinet decided to amend the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, including death penalty and protecting the child from being abused during natural calamity.

“Stringent punishment, including death penalty for aggravated penetrative sexual abuse of children is among the amendments to the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act,” Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said at his post cabinet briefing.

To curb child pornography, the Cabinet also approved an amendment levying heavy fine for not deleting, destroying child pornographic material. Not reporting child pornography will also invite a hefty fine. The amendment will also enable the protection of the child from being administered hormones to attain early sexual maturity for purpose of assault, the Minister said.

2018 has seen a number of horrific crimes against children, a majority of them sexual in nature. The sexual abuse and exploitation of minors at the Muzaffarnagar shelter home in Bihar and the Deoria shelter home in Uttar Pradesh are still fresh in people’s mind.

Earlier this year, Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi had proposed the amendments to the POSCO Act in the aftermath of the horrific Kathua gangrape and murder case which had sparked countrywide outrage. Gandhi said that her ministry sought a death penalty for rape of children under 12 years of age.