# POCSO court sentences Nanke Yadav to death for child murder

2026-09-18T14:51:53+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 3 independent outlets

A special POCSO court in Hoshiarpur on Friday sentenced Nanke Yadav, a migrant labourer from Uttar Pradesh, to death for the aggravated sexual assault and murder of a five-year-old boy in September 2023. The court termed the crime a 'rarest of rare' case. The death penalty is subject to confirmation by the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The boy was abducted while playing outside his home in Deep Nagar. His body was found the next day at a cremation ground. The court also awarded Rs 5 lakh compensation to the victim's family under the Punjab Victim Compensation Scheme. The verdict came a day before the statutory deadline under the POCSO Act, which mandates trial completion within one year of taking cognizance. The crime had triggered anti-migrant protests in Punjab, with some panchayats passing resolutions against non-Punjabi workers. Yadav has the right to appeal within 30 days.

## Indian Opinion Analysis

All three sources carried essentially identical wire copy, with no variation in framing or emphasis. The coverage focused on the legal process: the rarest-of-rare ruling, the mandatory high court confirmation, and the compensation. The only extra detail came from Hindustan Times, which noted the anti-migrant protests triggered by the crime. The uniformity of reporting suggests the court verdict was the sole newsworthy event, with no political or editorial angle being pushed. The next concrete step is the Punjab and Haryana High Court's confirmation hearing.

## Coverage

- hindustantimes.com (neutral report) <https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/hoshiarpur-pocso-court-sentences-up-native-to-death-for-5-year-old-s-murder-101789729605315.html>
  Led with the sentence and included context of anti-migrant protests
- ndtv.com (neutral report) <https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/rarest-of-rare-up-man-gets-death-penalty-for-rape-murder-of-minor-boy-in-punjabs-hoshiarpur-12064960#publisher=newsstand>
  Brief factual report, no additional framing
- rediff.com (neutral report) <https://www.rediff.com/news/report/up-man-sentenced-to-death-for-childs-sexual-assault-murder/20260918.htm>
  Straight PTI copy, included compensation detail

Tags: Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Hoshiarpur, POCSO, Punjab and Haryana High Court
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Cite: https://indianopinion.org/pocso-court-sentences-up-man-to-death-for-murder-of-5-year-old-in-punjab/#story-in-brief