Court sentences 24-year-old man to death for killing uncle in 2023 robbery

Jalpaiguri: Aftab Alam (24) has been sentenced to death by the Jalpaiguri District Court for the murder of his uncle, Mehtab Alam, in Angrabhasha, Dhupguri. The verdict was delivered by Judge Rintu Sur of the Additional Fourth Court on Monday, resolving the case in just over a year.

The crime had occurred on July 27, 2023, when Aftab, along with five accomplices, entered Mehtab’s home with the intent to commit a robbery. Among the group were two women and two minors. Assistant Public Prosecutor Pranab Bandopadhyay recounted the incident: “After dinner, Mehtab was sleeping in one room with his two sons, while his wife, Moumita, was in another room. Around 1 am, the attackers broke in. Aftab assaulted his aunt, and when Mehtab rushed to help her, Aftab and his accomplices restrained and fatally attacked him with sharp weapons. They also threatened to kill the couple’s children.”

The next day, locals apprehended the six accused at a hotel in Deomali and handed them over to the police. A neighbor of Mehtab Alam filed a complaint at Dhupguri Police Station, leading to charges under IPC sections 396, 397, and 398 for robbery and murder. After reviewing the evidence and hearing testimony from 17 witnesses, the court sentenced Aftab to death. Trials for the two minors involved are ongoing in the Juvenile Court, while the remaining three accomplices are facing trial in the Additional Sessions Judge Second Court.

The court also ordered the District Legal Aid Services to provide Rs 3 lakh each to support Mehtab’s two children. Aftab’s defense lawyer, Bhanusingh Sarkar, announced plans to appeal the verdict in the High Court.