GUWAHATI: The court of Additional District and Sessions Judge in Hojai in Assam on Wednesday A fast awarded death penalty and life imprisonment respectively to two persons accused in rape and murder of a 58-year-old teacher at Jamunamukh area in Hojai district of Central Assam. The gruesome the crime was committed on May 31, 2017.
As a culmination of the trial of the sensational murder and rape case, the court awarded death penalty to accused Mainul Hoque after pronouncing him guilty u/s 302, 276 (A), 201 IPC while another accused Selimuddin was sentenced to life imprisonment sans any provision for parole after the court held him guilty u/s 302 and 201 IPC. The court also imposed fine of Rs 20,000 each on the two accused.
The 58-year-old teacher was accosted and murdered by the two accused on May 31, 2017 when she was returning home after taking classes in the Lower Primary School she had been working for years. Her body was thrown to nearby Kopili River by the accused persons. The victim used to cross the river everyday in that area on country boats to attend her school as well as to return home after the school.
A case (No.82/17) was registered at Jamunamukh police station in this regard even as the gruesome crime created mass protests all over the state. Assam police at the instance of the state chief minister and home minister Sarbananda Sonowal had sent a high-level team from police headquarter to help the investigating team in the ground while a team of CID too helped the investigation. The Investigating officer, Abhisek Bodo, filed the charge-sheet before the fast track court within 90 days and the trial began in October 2017.
Many organizations in the state had hit the street demanding exemplary and fast punishment to the culprits involved in the rape and murder of the senior teacher who is survived by her husband and three daughters.