In a verdict bringing closure to a gruesome child murder case that shocked the region, a court in Kailashahar under Unakoti district has sentenced an elderly couple to two years of rigorous imprisonment for killing their newborn granddaughter and secretly burying her body in 2020.
On Wednesday (July 15), the court convicted Mahendra Nama and his wife Arati Nama, residents of Khaorabill area under Irani police station of Kailashahar, and imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 each. In default of payment, the convicts will have to undergo an additional two months of imprisonment.
According to the prosecution, Mahendra Nama had married his daughter to a resident of Karimganj district in Assam. However, after marital disputes, she returned to her parental home within two years of marriage. On the night of February 23, 2020, she gave birth to a baby girl.
The prosecution alleged that the newborn was killed in the same night by the accused, who initially disposed of the body in a nearby stream. The following morning, on February 24, a local child discovered the infant’s body while playing and raised an alarm. As neighbours gathered and protested, the accused allegedly attempted to destroy evidence by retrieving the body and burying it in a pit in a nearby forest.
Following a written complaint lodged by local resident Pradip Nama, police registered Case No. 13/2020 and launched an investigation. Then Investigating Officer (IO) Kamal Kanta Jamatia rushed to the scene, exhumed the body, and later filed the charge sheet before the court.
During the proceedings, the court examined the testimonies of 17 witnesses. Based on the evidence and witness statements, the court found Mahendra and Arati Namas guilty and pronounced the sentence on Wednesday.
The court, however, acquitted another individual who had been named as a suspect in the case, citing insufficient evidence.
Addressing a press conference after the verdict, Public Prosecutor Sunirmal Deb outlined the details of the judgment and the prosecution’s case.
Although the judgment came more than four years after the incident, legal observers believe it sends a strong message against crimes involving the killing of infants and the concealment of evidence, reaffirming the importance of accountability under the law.