Hoshiarpur, Sept 19: The Fast Track Special Court in Hoshiarpur has awarded the death sentence to Nanke Yadav, also known as Radhe Sham, thirty-three, following his conviction for kidnapping, sexually assaulting, and murdering a five-year-old child in September last year. Additional Sessions Judge Manpreet Kaur delivered the sentence after hearing arguments regarding the quantum of punishment, with the accused attending proceedings via video link from jail. The judicial decision follows the court’s earlier conviction of Yadav under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita alongside provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.
The child had gone missing on September 9, 2025, after visiting a local gurdwara in New Deep Nagar with his sister. Investigative agencies reviewed regional closed-circuit camera footage showing Yadav accompanying the child on a two-wheeler toward a local cremation ground. Testimonies from the victim’s sister and an additional witness who observed Yadav with the boy further supported the prosecution’s case. Law enforcement recovered the child’s body near the Rahimpur cremation ground the following day, alongside forensic evidence including stained wooden items and footwear, leading to the prompt arrest of the accused.
In determining the sentence, the court examined aggravating and mitigating factors, taking note of the individual’s previous conviction in a separate assault case in Uttar Pradesh. The bench concluded that the aggravating elements outweighed mitigating aspects, placing the matter within the rarest of rare categories. The court issued the death penalty under Section 103 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita alongside additional prison terms for related offenses, with all sentences set to run concurrently. The capital sentence remains subject to confirmation by the High Court.
