Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police A C Sharma has suggested that crimes of rape and murder after rape should be considered as “rarest of the rare” and the provision of death penalty should be made for people committing such offences by amending the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
In a letter to the state government, Sharma has said that UP may consider sending a “well-deliberated” proposal to the central government for making necessary amendments in Sections 375 and 376 of the IPC to bring the provision of death penalty for rape.
Saying that the recent gangrape of a student in Delhi is a heinous crime which has agitated everyone, he said that in order to keep effective check on such crimes it is necessary that they be put in the category of “rarest of the rare” and provisions be made to punish those committing these crimes with the death penalty.
According to a statement from DGP headquarters, he said that recently incidents of rape and rape involving murder of women and minor girls were becoming prominent. He wrote that a message should be sent in the society about the nature of crime and punishment so that people involved in these crimes do not repeat them for fear of punishment.
While Sharma could not be reached despite several attempts, IG (Law and Order) B P Singh said the DGP had written the letter to state government two days ago, suggesting death penalty for crimes of rape and murder after rape.