Assam Court aquits nine accused in Priya Basumatary murder case

In a significant development, the Chirang District Sessions Judge delivered the final verdict in the murder case of Priya Basumatary who was tragically killed on August 20, 2014 at Laimuti on the Bhutan border in Chirang district. The court acquitted all nine accused in the case, bringing closure to a prolonged legal battle.

Priya Basumatary, a class 10 student at the time of her death, was shot dead by armed cadres, allegedly belonging to the National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB), in front of a camera. The murder took place amidst suspicions of Basumatary being a police informer.

One of the key accused in the case, Jornelush Narzary, alias Jangkla, met his end at the hands of Assam Police and security forces in Ripu Reserve Forest in Kokrajhar on a previous occasion. Jangkla, the platoon commander of the outfit's Nalbari district unit, was implicated in the murder of Basumatary and several other crimes, including the snatching of firearms from security personnel.

The brutal killing of Priya Basumatary sent shockwaves through the region, highlighting the ongoing conflict between militant groups and security forces. Basumatary was dragged out of her house, beaten, and subsequently murdered, while her parents also faced severe physical assault.

Following Jangkla's demise, efforts to apprehend other members of the NDFB-S faction intensified. Troops of the Army’s Red Horns Division, along with Assam Police, successfully apprehended at least five militants in Chirang and Kokrajhar districts. Among those arrested was Sansuma Brahma, also known as B Susrwn, who was identified as a member of the outfit’s 35th batch of Myanmar-trained militants.