GUWAHATI, Aug. 21: The Dhemaji District and Sessions Court on Thursday sentenced a man to death for brutally murdering Nandita Saikia, a student of Moridhal College in Dhemaji district four years back, after she had rejected his marriage proposal.
Nandita, a BA student of Moridhal College, was stabbed with a machete by Rintu Sharma on August 21, 2021. She succumbed to her injuries while undergoing treatment in hospital four days later.
Her classmate, Kashmina Dutta who was accompanying her, and Kashmina’s father, Deba Dutta, were grievously injured after being attacked by Sharma, a Grade IV employee of the library at Moridhal College. The accused was later arrested.
The court had on Wednesday convicted the accused under charges of murder, attempt to murder, wrongful restraint, and voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons, of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The four-year trial followed a case registered at Dhemaji police station. During the period, as many as 41 witnesses provided their testimonies before the court.
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had then assured the family members of Nandita of fast tracking the case.
After a thorough examination of the evidence and depositions, the sessions court found Sharma guilty under Sections 342, 326, 307 and 302 of the Indian Penal Code.
A detailed 400-page chargesheet was filed by the police earlier against the accused.
The verdict finally marked the end of a four-year wait for justice for Nandita’s family members who thanked the government and the judiciary for the landmark judgment.
“We are grateful to the state government and the judicial system for finally giving us justice. We pray that such an incident never happens again,” Nandita’s mother said.
