20 years rigorous imprisonment for 2 BSF jawans in Mizoram gang rape

way2barak, June 17: A district court in Mizoram has sentenced two Border Security Force (BSF) personnel to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment in a case involving rape, murder, and acid attack nine years ago.

Nilanjan Das and Dinesh Kumar were charged under Sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) relating to gang rape, rape causing grievous bodily harm, and acid attack. Although the decomposed body of one of the victims was found 11 days after the incident on July 16, 2017, they were acquitted of murder under the Section 302 of the IPC.

The other woman survived, but the acid attack disfigured her face and caused partial loss of vision.

According to the judgement and order, issued by Sylvie Zomuanpuii Ralte, the Additional District and Sessions Judge of Aizawl Judicial District, the duo was sentenced to 20 years, 12 years, and 10 years of rigorous imprisonment respectively on three counts, and two months of simple imprisonment on failure to pay a fine of ₹20,000 for each offence.

“All the substantive sentences shall run concurrently,” the order read, while noting that the duo had served 144 days in detention during the trial, and that the convicts had the right to appeal against the judgment.

The court found Das and Kumar guilty in the 2017 case that occurred while they were posted at Silsuri West in Mamit district, along the India-Bangladesh border. The court examined the testimonies of 18 witnesses and reviewed all evidence presented during the trial.