Overview

• Rakesh Kumar, 22, allegedly attacked the girl with an axe after her mother rejected his marriage proposal due to her age and caste
• He struck the victim two to three times in the early hours of August 5 before fleeing Sakra village under Patan police jurisdiction
• Conflicting reports have placed the victim’s age at either 15 or 17, prompting authorities to verify her identity
• Patan police registered the murder under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act
• The killing underscores persistent threats from gender-based violence and gaps in child-protection enforcement