Northeast Desk, 4th October: A special POCSO court has reached a verdict in a tragic case involving two individuals who committed a horrifying act against a minor child in North Tripura district. Unfortunately, this incident resulted in the untimely death of the young victim.
Special Judge Angshuman Debbarma delivered the verdict, sentencing the two convicts to death after a lengthy trial. The court diligently documented the statements of 41 witnesses throughout the legal proceedings.
The distressing event occurred on June 17, 2019, when a six-year-old girl from Padmapur in North District mysteriously disappeared during the evening.
The child’s mother, Shukla Tanti, was a tenant in a residence owned by one of the convicted individuals, Saurabh Chandranath, who was 19 years old at the time. Chandranath had a troubling history of offering chocolates and rides on his scooter to the child.
However, on that fateful evening, the girl disappeared without a trace, despite extensive searches by concerned locals. Fearing for her daughter’s safety, the mother filed a missing report with the Dharmanagar Women’s Police Station the following night.
It wasn’t until the following morning, near Kargil Tilla in Haflong, that locals discovered the girl in an unconscious state, hidden beneath a mound of coal. Tragically, medical professionals later confirmed her death.
The police promptly launched an investigation, leading to the arrest of Chandranath (19) and Dibakar Das (20). After a thorough inquiry and the testimonies of 41 witnesses, the special court found the two individuals guilty under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 363, 376, 376D, and 302. Consequently, they were sentenced to life imprisonment and fined Rs 5,000. Additionally, they received an extra six months of rigorous imprisonment under Section 376D of the IPC.
Due to the heinous nature of their crime, as specified under Section 302 of the IPC, the Court handed down a death penalty order against the convicted individuals.