A correspondent
TANGLA: In a tragic incident that has sent ripples across the state, the prime accused in the double murder case of two school-going siblings has been apprehended by Tangla police on Saturday. The incident has raised demands for an impartial and thorough investigation into the case, with citizens questioning the possibility of a single perpetrator in such a calculated crime. According to reports, the accused, Neeraj Sharma, who was the stepbrother of the victims identified as Gaurav Sharma (13) and Kaushik Sharma (12), who were students of Class 6 and Class 5, respectively, at a private school in Tangla town of the Udalguri district, were allegedly kidnapped and hacked to death by the accused in Sastrapara village on the outskirts of Tangla town on Friday. The accused Neeraj Sharma (18) was a B. A third-semester student at Tangla College. Addressing a press conference at Tangla Police Station, IGP BTAD Vivek Raj Singh said the accused was arrested based on evidence and interrogation. “He took the brothers using a motorcycle that belonged to his maternal uncle to an isolated place and slashed their throats with a sharp weapon,” he added. He further stated that the forensic team and police have collected the evidence from the crime scene, and police have found only his sole involvement in the crime. He further revealed that Neeraj reportedly harboured resentment towards his younger stepbrothers, believing that their father favoured them over him, and a sense of exclusion and perceived neglect is said to have fuelled his heinous actions.
According to family sources, Neeraj is the son of Mahendra Sharma’s first wife, while Gaurav and Kaushik were born to Mahendra’s second wife, Geeta Sharma. However, relatives of the victims suspect a larger conspiracy behind the murders. “It is hard to believe that a teenager could plan and execute such a heinous crime alone. We suspect the involvement of his mother, who resides in Punjab, and his maternal uncle, whose bike was used in the crime. We demand a high-level and impartial investigation, and no one involved in this heinous incident must go scot-free, a family member said. Assam Legislative Assembly Speaker and Paneri MLA Biswajit Daimary and Assam BJP Minority Morcha President Santiuse Kujur visited the bereaved family members on Sunday. Various organizations including Udalguri Raijor Dal, have demanded strict action and have called for a thorough investigation to uncover the truth behind the tragedy.
Also read: Assam: Double murder of brothers after abduction sparks outrage in Tangla, Udalguri District
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