Assam: Five Get Life Term for Murder in 2012 BTAD Violence

Guwahati: The special CBI court in Bongaigaon on Wednesday sentenced five men to life imprisonment for their involvement in a murder during the 2012 communal clashes in Assam’s Chirang district.

Special Judge Mousumi Dey delivered the verdict, convicting Joynudin Sheikh, Abdul Khaleque, Nabi Hussain, Habijur, and Osman Ali.

The incident took place on July 22, 2012, in Hashraobari village under Bijni police station, at the height of the ethnic violence in the Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD). A seven-member armed group attacked three villagers with sharp weapons, killing Ratneswar Basumatary and injuring two others.

Out of the seven accused, one is still absconding, while another died in jail during the trial. The CBI took over the case due to its sensitive nature, relying on witness statements and forensic evidence to secure the convictions.

The 2012 BTAD clashes between the Bodo and Bengali-speaking Muslim communities claimed over 100 lives and displaced more than four lakh people, marking one of the worst episodes of communal violence in Assam’s recent history.