For raping and killing minor, death penalty to two by Tripura Court

Agartala: A special POCSO court in North Tripura district has found two persons guilty of a gruesome act with a minor. Tragically, the incident led to the untimely death of the young victim.

The court of Special Judge Angshuman Debbarma awarded the death sentence to the accused after a long trial.
The court recorded the statements of 41 witnesses during the entire proceedings.

The tragic incident took place on June 17, 2019, when a six-year-old girl from Padmapur in North District mysteriously disappeared during the evening hours.
The child’s mother, Shukla Tanti, was a tenant in a residence owned by one of the accused, identified as Saurabh Chandranath, and worked at a neighbour’s house.

Chandranath, then 19, had a troubled history of offering chocolates to the child and riding his scooter.
However, on that fateful evening, the girl disappeared without a trace despite extensive searches by concerned locals.

Distraught and concerned for her daughter’s safety, the mother registered a missing diary at Dharmanagar Women’s Police Station the next night.
By the next morning, near Kargil Tila in Haflong, locals discovered the girl unconscious, hiding under a pile of coal.

Tragically, medical experts later confirmed his death.
Immediately, the police launched an investigation, which eventually led to the arrest of Chandranath (19) and Dibakar Das (20).
After thorough cross-examination and the testimony of 41 witnesses, the special court pronounced its verdict. Both men were found guilty under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 363, 376, 376D, and 302. As a result, he was sentenced to life imprisonment, along with a fine of Rs 5,000.
Additionally, he was sentenced to six months’ rigorous imprisonment under Section 376D of the IPC.

For the heinous nature of their crime, as defined under Section 302 of the IPC, the court passed the death sentence against the convicts.