Guwahati, 24th July: The Gauhati High Court has reserved its verdict on the 2004 Dhemaji Bomb Blast case, a tragic incident that occurred during Independence Day celebrations at a playground, resulting in the death of 14 children and injuring several others.
Earlier today, the final hearing of the case was completed in the court, but the verdict has been reserved for a later date, according to sources.
The incident, which took place on August 15, 2004, involved the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) triggering an explosion at Dhemaji College playground at 8.55 am, claiming the lives of 17 people, including innocent children.
In 2019, six individuals, including a woman, were convicted by Dhemaji district and sessions judge Sutham Das under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including sections 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 302 (murder), along with the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Out of the six convicts, four were sentenced to life imprisonment and were also ordered to pay a fine of Rs. 10,000 each. These four individuals have been identified as Dipanjali Gohain, Muhi Handique, Lila Gogoi Khan, and Jatin Dowari.
On the other hand, the remaining two accused, Prasanta Bhuyan and Hemen Gogoi, were given rigorous imprisonment for four years and were additionally fined Rs. 2,000.
Furthermore, eight other accused were acquitted by the lower court, receiving the benefit of doubt in their favor.
Following the verdict pronounced by the Dhemaji Sessions court, the families of the victims filed an appeal in the Gauhati High Court, challenging the previous decision. Now, they await the High Court’s final verdict in this long-standing case.
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