Hyderabad: Parents of a minor victim of sexual attack and murder have expressed their satisfaction over the swift judgement in the case. Reacting to the verdict of a fast track court in Warangal awarding death sentence to the guilty they expressed hope that the quick decision and the sentence will set a deterrent example for others.

Nine-month-old baby’s parents Rachana and K. Jagan said that the justice will be done only after the barbaric offender was hanged to death. “We hope that this will not be delayed inordinately and the beast who killed our daughter will meet his fate soon,” said Jagan, a private employee.

First additional district court of Warangal, which served as the fast track court in the case found the accused P. Praveen guilty of abduction, rape and killing the baby in a record 48 days. The swiftness with which the case was probed and prosecuted brought laurels to the police, the court and the legal fraternity.

“The person who did not show any mercy to a tiny baby should not live,” said an angry and emotional Rachana. “The court verdict has brought some respite to us. It was an unbearable to lose my daughter this way.” She hoped that the judgement will give hope and confidence to women while making criminals and anti-social elements think twice before targeting them.

A large number of people who gathered outside the court where the verdict was delivered shouted slogans in support of hanging the criminal.

The expeditious trial was in sharp contrast to the other sexual offences’ cases, which drag for several years and end in conviction only in handful of cases.

People were specially full of praise for the police investigation team including Assistant Commissioner Ch Sridhar and inspectors A. Sampath and P. Sadaiah for gathering solid evidence leading to the conviction.

Working president of the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) K. Taraka Rama Rao was among the prominent people who hailed the quick judgement.

“Death penalty verdict by court of law for the animal who molested a child in Warangal is welcome. We need more stringent laws and fast track courts to take these horrendous offenders off our streets. My compliments to the advocates who fought hard,” he said.

However, some people on social media raised questions over the lightening speed of the trial and wondered whether justice was done in a fair manner. Replying to them KTR quipped, “There are certain things that should not be pardoned by civil society. The animal raped a nine month child; can it get more heinous?” he tweeted defending the death penalty.

Local MLA D. Vinaya Bhaskar also thanked the district bar council for its decision not to represent the accused in the court of law. Instead he was defended by a court-appointed lawyer.

Though the fate of the criminal would be keenly watched, none of the prisons in Telangana have gallows or a hangman. Officials of the prison department said that if the hanging become imminent, they will get the gallows installed in one of the central prisons and a hangman could be brought from outside.

“But there will be a long drawn process before a convicted is executed. The convict can go for an appeal in a higher court. Anyway the High Court has to confirm the death penalty,” said a senior official of the state prison department.