Fatehpur Student Rape-Murder: Main Accused Gets Death Penalty, Two Others Jailed

In a landmark verdict, a Fast Track Court in Uttar Pradesh’s Fatehpur district sentenced Ajay alias Sheebu to death for raping and brutally murdering a 19-year-old girl student in 2022. The incident had shaken the region due to its sheer brutality. The judgment, delivered by ADJ Ashok Kumar, came within three years—a relatively swift legal conclusion in such a serious case. The court also sentenced Ajay’s friend, Avneesh alias Chhotu Sonkar, and another friend’s mother, Maya Devi, to seven years in prison each for helping conceal critical evidence connected to the crime.

The victim, a resident of a village in Kanpur Dehat’s Saadh police station area, was preparing for the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) and attended coaching classes in Jahanabad. On May 30, 2022, after her coaching session, she went missing, and her body was discovered later that evening in the Khairabad forest. The postmortem revealed 24 blade-inflicted wounds, with her throat slit. Public outrage followed, leading to massive protests. Her father filed a complaint, and police initially charged Ajay and others with gang rape and murder, although gang rape charges were later dropped.

During the investigation, Ajay confessed to the crime. He admitted he was infatuated with the girl and became violently jealous after suspecting her of talking to someone else. On the day of the murder, he borrowed a friend’s bike, lured her into the forest, raped her, then covered her mouth and slit her throat with a blade before stabbing her. He fled the scene and escaped to Kerala, where he worked as a chef. Police traced him through call records and arrested him in Kasaragod on June 8, 2022.

After the murder, Ajay went to his friend’s home in Dwarikapur. Finding only the friend’s mother, Maya Devi, he fabricated a story about an accident and hid blood-stained clothing, the victim’s mobile phone and ID, and his own bike there. He changed clothes and fled the area. Investigation revealed that Avneesh had been in touch with Ajay before and after the murder and concealed information from the police. As a result, both were charged with aiding and abetting the crime and tampering with evidence, receiving prison sentences and financial penalties.

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The horrific nature of the crime sparked widespread protests in Fatehpur. On the night of May 30, people repeatedly blocked the Jahanabad State Highway. Police struggled to maintain law and order. Demonstrations continued the next day. Public outrage surged when photos of the mutilated body circulated. Several political leaders demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe. The district administration recommended invoking the National Security Act (NSA), although the state government did not approve it. Statements were taken from then-DM Apoorva Dubey and SP Rajesh Kumar Singh regarding the administrative response to the unrest.

According to then-SP Rajesh Kumar Singh, Ajay was obsessed with the girl and had previously attempted suicide due to stress. He believed she was talking to another man, which made him extremely jealous. Out of obsession, he had changed her SIM card. Months before the crime, Ajay consumed poison in a failed suicide attempt. Police removed gang rape charges but will pursue rape and murder charges in court. NSA charges may also be considered. Recovered evidence includes the murder weapons, blood-stained clothes, both the victim’s and accused’s ID cards, and her coaching institute ID.

Despite the gravity of his crimes, Ajay showed no remorse after sentencing. As police escorted him from court to jail, he told media personnel, “Yes, go ahead, make as many videos as you like.” In contrast, the two co-accused tried to hide their faces. The court remarked that harsh and swift punishment in such cases is essential to deter others from committing similar crimes. The state prosecutor highlighted the brutality revealed in the postmortem, including 24 injuries. The victim’s bag was found at the crime scene, though her mobile phone had initially gone missing.

The victim’s father expressed relief and satisfaction over the court’s decision, saying that his daughter’s soul could now rest in peace. He shared that his daughter was a bright student with dreams of a better future, which were cruelly destroyed. He and his family had attended every court hearing, waiting for justice. He now hopes to see the execution carried out swiftly.