Local court sentenced 12 persons to life imprisonment in Diphu mob lynching case

A Correspondent

DIPHU: A local court here on Friday sentenced life imprisonment to the 12 convicted persons of the 16 accused in the gruesome mob lynching case of June 25, 2013, leading to the death of a youth Jhankar Saikia in Diphu market.

During the judgment, the court acquitted four persons – Havildar Haren Bora, Assistant Sub-Inspector Ramesh Chandra Nath, Dilip Teron, and Sarthe Bey.

The Court of Karbi Anglong District and Session Judge AU Ahmed passed the judgment here on Friday against the 12 convicted persons. According to the judgment, all the 12 convicted persons will have to face 6 months of rigorous imprisonment under section 147 of IPC, 1 month imprisonment under section 341 of IPC, 6 months imprisonment under section 323 of IPC and life imprisonment under section 302 of IPC with a fine of Rs 2,000.

The court found one Sarfangri Ronghang as a juvenile.

Coming out from the court, Special Public Prosecutor Durga Prasad Jaiswal told media persons, “The court has today given final judgment to the 12 convicted persons of the 16 accused in the mob lynching case leading to the death of a youth Jhankar Saikia.”

One of the defense lawyers Manash Sarania told media persons, “The judgment passed today is not satisfactory. We expressed grief over the death of Jhankar Saikia, but the court today has not judged properly on who were the actual perpetrators were and how Jhankar Sakia was killed. The court also said two of the convicted persons, during the time of the incident, their images were captured in the video footage, but the court could not bring out evidence or proof to show their involvement. As we are not satisfied with the judgment given today, we will soon appeal to the Gauhati High Court. Surely they will get proper justice once appealed at the High Court,”

On June 25, 2013, Jhankar Saikia and his father Haren Saikia had an altercation regarding an auto-rickshaw fare. As a result, Jhankar Saikia was allegedly beaten up in Diphu market. Though Jhankar was shifted to a hospital but later succumbed to his injuries. The Diphu Police Station registered a case No.95/13 under section 294, 325, 307, 109, 147, 148, 149, 337, 338, 302 and 34 of IPC.

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