Death sentence of Holiram commuted to lifer

BY Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, Dec 23: A division bench of Gauhati High Court comprising Chief Justice (acting) T Vaiphei and Justice CR Sarma today commuted the death sentence of murder convict Holiram Bordoloi to life imprisonment. Bordoloi carried out the execution of three men of the same family in a gruesome manner in broad daylight in front of villagers in an effort to protect his supremacy in the village. On November 26, 1996, Bordoloi, along with 17 others, attacked the hut of rayan Bordoloi, who was staying with his brother, wife and two sons. When rayan locked the hut from inside, the accused and his men set the hut on fire. rayan's brother and elder son tried to escape through a hole in the wall. However, Holiram and his men pushed the boy back into the fire. rayan and his son were charred to death, while his wife sustained serious burn injuries.

Holiram did not stop at this. He later dragged another brother of rayan, who was staying nearby, and sliced him into pieces in front of the villagers.

He was sentenced to death by the Morigaon Sessions Court, which was later confirmed by the Supreme Court. The President of India has also rejected his two mercy petitions in the year 2013 and 2014.

Taking the ground of inordite delay of about nine years and three months in disposal of his mercy petitions, the convict approached the high court for commutation of the death sentence.