22-year-old sentenced to death in Matigara schoolgirl’s rape and murder case

PRASHANT ACHARYA

SILIGURI, : A Siliguri court on Saturday sentenced a man to death for the rape and murder of a schoolgirl at Matigara last year.

The sub-divisional court pronounced the death sentence against 22-year-old Mohammad Abbas, who had been convicted for first raping and then brutally killing the minor by bludgeoning her head with a brick on August 21, 2023.

The heinous crime, which took place near Darjeeling More, shook the local community and drew widespread outrage.

Additional District and Sessions Court Judge Anita Mehrotra Mathur delivered the sentence in what was deemed a “rarest of rare” case.

After over a year of hearings in the court, the accused was convicted on Wednesday under different sections of the Indian Penal Code including section 302 for murder as well as section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

In addition to the death sentence, Abbas received a seven-year prison term for kidnapping the victim and has been ordered to pay Rs. 10 lakh in compensation to the victim’s family.

The conviction was based on overwhelming evidence including CCTV footage and a piece of evidence involving Abbas’ bicycle riding pattern.

According to police, Abbas was captured on CCTV riding a bicycle with the victim on the back seat near City Centre on the day of the crime. A forensic analysis of his cycling style was used as key evidence during the trial.

Abbas was arrested within seven hours of the crime by the Matigara police. The trial began in January 2024 and at many as 22 witnesses were examined. The sentencing, originally scheduled for Friday, was delayed by a day before the judge announced the death penalty.

Public prosecutor Bivash Chatterjee hailed the ruling as historic. “This case sets a precedent and we are satisfied with the outcome. However, the sentence will require approval from the High Court and the accused has the right to appeal,” he said.

Siliguri police commissioner C. Sudhakar also expressed satisfaction with the court’s decision. “We made sure that the charge sheet was filed on time and provided consistent support to the victim’s family. This is the first time in Siliguri’s history that a conviction was secured based on the evidence related to a suspect’s cycling pattern.”

Abbas’ defense lawyer Bula Roy expressed disappointment with the verdict. “I do not believe this qualifies as a ‘rarest of rare’ case. Abbas wishes to appeal the sentence in the High Court and we are preparing the necessary documentation,” Roy said.

The victim’s parents welcomed the verdict, saying nothing less than capital punishment was suitable for the convict.

The verdict came amid nation-wide protests against the ghastly rape and murder of a junior doctor at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata last month.