A District and Sessions Court in Dhemaji on Thursday sentenced Rintu Sharma to death for the 2021 murder of Nandita Saikia, a college student whose killing had sparked statewide protests and calls for stronger women’s safety measures in Assam.
The case stemmed from an incident on August 21, 2021, when Sharma repeatedly stabbed Saikia with a machete near a bus stand in broad daylight after she allegedly rejected his marriage proposal. Saikia, a student of Moridhal College, succumbed to her injuries five days later at a hospital in Dibrugarh.
Judge Kalyanjit Saikia delivered the verdict after hearing extensive arguments and reviewing testimonies from 141 witnesses. Sharma was convicted under Sections 341 (wrongful restraint), 326 (grievous hurt), 307 (attempt to murder), and 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code.
Police had earlier filed a 400-page chargesheet, and the trial, registered as Dhemaji Police Station Case No. 397/2021, lasted four years. “The evidence presented, including witness accounts and forensic reports, established the accused’s guilt beyond reasonable doubt,” the court noted.
The brutality of the crime and Saikia’s death had triggered widespread outrage, with student unions, women’s groups, political leaders, and civil society staging protests across Assam. Many called for fast-tracking the case and stricter measures to protect women from gender-based violence.
The court’s ruling was welcomed by women’s rights activists, who described it as a crucial step toward justice and deterrence. “This verdict reaffirms faith in the judicial process and sends a strong message against crimes targeting women,” a member of a Dhemaji-based women’s collective said.
With the sentencing, Saikia’s family and supporters — who campaigned relentlessly for justice over the past four years — expressed a sense of closure.
