POCSO court sentences 3 to death for abduction, gang rape of schoolgirl

Jalpaiguri: In a landmark verdict, the Special POCSO Court in Jalpaiguri sentenced three men to death for the abduction, gang rape, and brutal murder of a Class 10 madrasa student.

The judgment, delivered by Judge Rintu Shur on Thursday, marks an unprecedented instance in Jalpaiguri district where three individuals have been awarded the death penalty in a single case.

The horrific crime occurred on August 10, 2020, in the Rajganj Police Station area. The girl was abducted, raped multiple times at different locations, and eventually strangled with a vest by the accused. Her body was later transported on a motorcycle and dumped in a septic tank of an under-construction house, around 10 kilometres from her residence, in an attempt to destroy evidence.

A day after the incident, the victim’s family lodged a formal complaint. Following a 12-day search, police recovered her decomposed body from the septic tank. Based on the investigation, three young men, Rahman Ali, Jamirul Haque, and Tamirul Haque were arrested and charged under relevant sections of the IPC and POCSO Act.

Special Public Prosecutor Debashis Dutta confirmed that 27 witnesses testified during the trial. “The judge described the crime as ‘brutal, inhuman, and barbaric, and emphasised that such heinous acts warrant the strictest punishment, “ Dutta said.

The court found the accused guilty on the strength of detailed witness testimonies and evidence. On Thursday, the judge sentenced all three to death, setting a powerful legal precedent in the district.