{
  "id": 9577323,
  "title": "SC commutes death sentence of man who raped, murdered 6-year-old stepdaughter",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/sc-commutes-death-sentence-of-man-who-raped-murdered-6-year-old",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-24T15:50:57.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Hindustan Times",
    "slug": "hindustan-times",
    "url": "https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/sc-commutes-death-sentence-of-man-who-raped-murdered-6-year-old-stepdaughter-101790265057614.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On Thursday, India's Supreme Court overturned the death sentence of Waris, a 56-year-old man convicted of raping and murdering his six-year-old stepdaughter in Madhya Pradesh in 2018. The court directed that he serve the remainder of his natural life in prison without remission. The bench, led by Justice Vikram Nath, noted that when a protector turns predator, it affects not only the child but the security of familial relationships. Waris was sentenced to death by both the trial court and the high court for the 2018 incident, which took place in Madhya Pradesh. The court found that he demonstrated potential for reform, as he maintained good conduct in jail and had no criminal history other than this case. However, the bench could not overlook the victim's helplessness and Waris' role as the stepfather. The court emphasized that the stepfather violated trust by transforming into the predator, causing severe injury to the child and the family. Waris raped his stepdaughter for months, and when she shared this with her mother, he killed her on April 21, 2018. The court cited the victim's testimony, her mother's report, and a dying declaration, where the girl disclosed the atrocities committed by her stepfather. The court considered a psychological evaluation and a medical examination, both of which found Waris physically and mentally fit. Despite the aggravating circumstances, the court balanced these with Waris' mitigating factors, such as his troubled childhood and good behavior in prison. Consequently, the Supreme Court commuted Waris' death sentence to a life imprisonment sentence, extending to the full remainder of his natural life with no remission granted.",
  "summary": "The bench headed by Justice Vikram Nath observed that when the protector turns predator, it strikes not only at the child but at the security of a family relationship.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}