Rajkot: In a case of gruesome murder, a court in Gujarat handed a life sentence to a man who stabbed his 16-year-old girlfriend 30 times, killing her on the spot, even as his new girlfriend watched, and later joined the search for her to avoid suspicion.In its Feb 3 verdict, the sessions court at Kodinar in Gir Somnath district also convicted the man’s father for destroying evidence and handed him a 5-year jail sentence, but acquitted the accused’s girlfriend, who was also charged, giving her the benefit of the doubt. The main accused, Kashyap Purohit, was 21 years old at the time.According to case details, Kashyap Purohit was in a relationship with a Class 10 student who lived in his neighbourhood. Their relationship became strained after Kashyap began seeing another girl. When the Class 10 girl confronted him, Kashyap planned to eliminate her.On Nov 5, 2018, Kashyap and his new girlfriend went shopping when the student girl called Kashyap and insisted on meeting him. Kashyap agreed and arrived at the decided spot with Dharti.The 3 travelled on Kashyap’s motorcycle to a secluded place, where an argument broke out. Kashyap then attacked his ex-girlfriend from behind with a knife, stabbing her 30 times in the neck and chest, killing her on the spot. The prosecution alleged that the second girl helped Kashyap in the murder.During the investigation, police found that the knife broke during the attack, injuring Kashyap’s finger. This injury later became key evidence, as Kashyap sought treatment that night. The prosecution examined a witness who dressed his finger.The prosecution further submitted that Kashyap’s father, Vijay Purohit, 45, helped conceal the murder weapon to protect his son. After the crime, the father-son duo participated in the search for the girl alongside her family to divert suspicion.While the court’s additional sessions judge, A R Patel, found sufficient evidence to convict Kashyap and his father, it acquitted the girl, observing that the prosecution failed to prove her role beyond reasonable doubt.
