In a significant development, the District Judicial Court in Chirang, Assam, has acquitted five individuals implicated in the brutal murder of teenager Priya Basumatary in 2014, marking the end of a longstanding legal dispute surrounding the harrowing incident.
The acquitted individuals are Nembrat Borgayari, Anan Brahma, Lebou Basumatary, Dhananjay Daimary, and Soumkhour Basumatary, who had been facing charges in connection with the horrific killing of the 16-year-old girl by the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) in August 2014.
Brutal Killing Shook the Nation
Priya Basumatary’s murder sent shockwaves across the nation, as the teenager was brutally killed in front of her family and fellow villagers in Chirang district, reportedly under suspicion of being a police informer. The incident drew widespread condemnation and sparked outrage, prompting then Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi to announce a bravery award of Rs 20 lakh for the victim’s next of kin.
Gogoi had also proposed the establishment of a bravery award in Priya Basumatary’s name and her nomination for the national bravery award, in recognition of her courage and sacrifice.
Four Accused Remain Fugitives
While the acquittal of the five individuals brings closure to a portion of the case, four other accused – Bishnu Goyari alias G Bidai, Lachit Narzary, Budha Muchahary, and Binod Muchahary alias Batha – remain fugitives since the incident. The court did not deliver any judgment on their cases due to their continued evasion of justice.