Tripura court awards life imprisonment to TSR rifleman in 2013 Tankarai firing case

The Court of the Ld. Sessions Judge, Ambassa, Dhalai District, has convicted a Tripura State Rifle’s Rifleman Bijoy Debbarma (47) of Khasiapunji under Dhalai District for his involvement in the 2013 Tankarai TSR Post firing incident.

The court sentenced the convict to Rigorous Imprisonment for life along with a fine of Rs 10,000 for the offence punishable under Section 302 of the IPC. In default of payment of the fine, he will have to undergo an additional six months of rigorous imprisonment.

For the offence under Section 307 of the IPC, the court awarded 10 years of rigorous imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 5,000, with an additional three months of rigorous imprisonment in case of default of payment.
The convict was also sentenced to seven years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5,000 under Section 201 of the IPC, with a further three months of rigorous imprisonment in default of payment.

Additionally, for the offence under Section 27(1) of the Arms Act, the court imposed three years of rigorous imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 2,000, with 15 days of rigorous imprisonment in default of payment.
The court directed that all sentences will run concurrently in connection with ST(T-1) 18/2014 arising out of Chawmanu Police Station Case No. 02/2013 under Sections 302/307/326 of IPC read with Section 27 of the Arms Act.

According to the prosecution, the incident occurred on January 28, 2013, at around 5:10 PM, when the accused TSR Rifleman allegedly opened indiscriminate fire with his 7.62 mm service Self-Loading Rifle (SLR) at Tankarai TSR Post under Longtharai Valley Sub-Division.

During the firing, six TSR personnel sustained bullet injuries, of whom two personnel succumbed to their injuries on the spot.

Following a thorough investigation, Sub-Inspector Udhyam Debbarma of Chawmanu Police Station filed a chargesheet on February 10, 2017 against the accused.