19-year-old gets life imprisonment for rape, murder of minor girl - The HinduPublished - September 18, 2026 08:30 pm IST - KADAPAThe Kadapa POCSO Court has convicted Jakkala Vignesh alias Sai, 19, in the rape and murder of a minor girl in Badvel rural police limits in 2024 and sentenced him to life imprisonment. The court also directed the government to pay ₹5 lakh as compensation to the victim’s family.According to the prosecution, Vignesh wooed the minor girl in the name of love, gained her trust and took her to the P.P. Kunta forest area within the Badvel rural police limits. He sexually assaulted her and later set her on fire, causing severe injuries. She succumbed while undergoing treatment at a hospital.Badvel Rural Inspector M. Nagabhushanam, the investigating officer, collected crucial evidence, arrested the accused within 30 hours of the incident and filed a comprehensive charge sheet before the court.POCSO Court judge M.A. Somashekar, while pronouncing the judgment on Friday, sentenced Vignesh to life imprisonment under Section 258(2) of the BNSS and imposed a fine of ₹8,000.Published - September 18, 2026 08:30 pm ISTSign in to unlock member-only benefits!Access 10 free stories every monthSave stories to read laterAccess to comment on every storySign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single clickGet notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products${ ind + 1 } ${ device }Last active - ${ la }