Morung Express News
Dimapur | September 29
A youth accused and facing trial in a case pertaining to the death of a young pregnant woman was given a 10-year prison term by the Tuensang Sessions and Special POCSO Court. The case, which dates to December 2019, found closure over two and a half years later on September 26 with the court finding him guilty of causing death by negligence (IPC 304) and under section 4 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act along with an additional two months for committing offence under IPC 352.
The convicted accused, identified only as Longdili (22 years) was originally charged under IPC 302 (murder), 352 and 376 read with section 4 of the POCSO Act. As per the details of the court proceedings, the victim (in her late teens), was found death on January 1, 2020 following an altercation with the accused the previous night.
The accused, Longdili, was subsequently arrested by the police based on an FIR filed by the village council. The charge was that he was last seen with the victim on the night of December 31, 2019 before her dead body was discovered the next day.
The court, in the judgment order, ruled out rape while noting that the relationship between the victim and the accused “can be presumed to be consensual.” Ruling on the other charges, the court said that the Prosecution was able to establish the chain of circumstances leading to conclusion of guilt of the accused.
Along with a Simple Imprisonment of 10 years, the accused convict was imposed a penalty of Rs 10,000. While noting, “The victim died due to the injury caused by single punch on the neck and no other serious, grievous or fataI injuries inflicted,” the court said that the accused committed criminal use of force and culpable homicide not amounting to murder and committing offence of penetrative sexual assault on a victim/child under section 4 of the POCSO Act.
Considering the nature of the case and the trauma it caused, the court further awarded Rs 5 lakh to the victim’s parents in compensation as accorded under the POCSO Act. The Secretary, Home (Relief and Rehabilitation), Nagaland government was directed to sanction and release the compensation within 30 days from the receipt of the judgment.
