A single bench of district court judge Lipta Bahadur Thapa pronounced the verdict on Tuesday convicting Gupta on two counts of rape and murder.  Gupta has been given 20-year prison for murder and 15-year for rape.

Kanhaiya Gupta of Motibagh, Kalaiyia-4, had raped 7-year-old Puja Sah after abducting her on February 20. She was found lying unconscious on the spot where the incident had taken place. She died 17 days after the incident during treatment at Kanti Children's Hospital in Kathmandu.

Beti Bachao Struggle committee, which has been advocating for the victim’s family, has welcomed the decision to deliver such a swift verdict on the case. “But our struggle has not ended yet. We will continue to fight for death sentence to the culprit,” said Pramod Gupta., former CA member and coordinator of the committee.

Advocate Dipendra Jha says the decision has set a precedent. “This is the fastest ever verdict delivered on such case and the longest sentence handed over,” said Jha.

Though death penalty is considered equally cruel and inhuman treatment through human rights perspective, the campaigners, however, said there has not been change in mentality towards such heinous crime. "If they take someone's life, they don't deserve to live either," said Gupta. They want death penalty particularly in case of minor's rape.