Assam Court Sentences Man to Death for Rape and Murder of Four-Year-Old Girl

Bilasipara, September 15 (Daily Kiran) : A court in Bilasipara, located in Assam’s Goalpara district, has sentenced a man to death for the rape and murder of a four-year-old girl in 2023. The ruling was made on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, following a lengthy legal process.

The Additional District and Sessions Court found Utpal Roy guilty of the crime, which took place in the Krishna Kali tea garden area of the district. According to prosecutors, the young girl went missing from her home in September 2023, prompting an extensive search operation by local police and authorities. After three days, her body was discovered in the tea garden with the help of search dogs.

Evidence was collected at the crime scene in the presence of a magistrate and a forensic team. Prosecutors alleged that Roy lured the girl to the tea garden, where he sexually assaulted her before murdering her to conceal the crime. The girl’s body was reportedly left in the tea garden.

Following a complaint lodged by the victim’s family, the police registered case number 179/23 and initiated an investigation. The case was filed under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 363(A), 376, 302, and 201, as well as Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

After examining the evidence and hearing arguments from both the prosecution and defense, the court found Roy guilty and sentenced him to death under the POCSO Act. Government lawyer Tapan Bhatt represented the prosecution during the proceedings.

The investigation was initially led by police officer Arpana Talukdar and later taken over by Ranjit Kakaty, with investigating officer Deepjyoti Ingti presenting the charges in court. This verdict comes nearly three years after the tragic incident, underscoring the lengthy legal proceedings associated with cases of child sexual abuse and murder. The prosecution’s case was built on the circumstances surrounding the girl’s disappearance, the recovery of her body, and the subsequent investigation into the alleged crime.