A special POCSO court in Mysuru has sentenced a 31-year-old man to death for the rape and murder of a 10-year-old girl who had come to the city with her family during Dasara to sell balloons. The court also imposed a fine of ₹1 lakh and directed the District Legal Services Authority to provide ₹13.50 lakh in compensation to the girl’s family.
The order was passed on Saturday by POCSO special court judge Anand P. Hogade. The accused, identified as Karthik, a resident of Siddalingapura, was convicted after the court considered the post-mortem report, DNA examination and forensic science laboratory findings submitted during the investigation.
The girl’s family had travelled from North Karnataka for balloon sales during the previous Dasara season. They had built a temporary hut and were living near an open area close to the Nagswamy temple at Ittige Gudu. On the morning of October 9, 2025, the girl’s body was found in a drain beside the hut.
Based on a complaint from the girl’s mother, the Nazarbad police registered a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. Investigators examined CCTV footage and traced the movements of Karthik before arresting him, according to the report.
Police later took the accused to Siddalingapura as part of the investigation. While returning, he allegedly attempted to escape near Metagalli, after which police shot him in the right leg and apprehended him. The police subsequently filed a chargesheet before the court.
The prosecution relied on the post-mortem examination conducted by the forensic medicine department of Mysore Medical College, along with DNA testing carried out at the State Forensic Science Laboratory in Bengaluru and other FSL findings. The court found the accused guilty after considering this evidence and the case presented during the trial.
The compensation direction was issued to the District Legal Services Authority for the benefit of the deceased girl’s family. Government prosecutor K.B. Jayanti represented the state, while principal legal services defence counsel Machangada Naveen represented the accused.
The court’s sentencing order is the latest stage in a case that began with the discovery of the child’s body near the temporary settlement during the Dasara period. The compensation is to be provided through the District Legal Services Authority as directed by the court.
