By TC News Desk
Agartala, 5th November 2024: In a landmark judgment, the Special Court in Dharmanagar on Tuesday sentenced two brothers, Prashanth Debnath and Pappu Debnath, to 20 years in prison, along with a fine of Rs 25,000 each, for assaulting a minor. The incident, which took place in October 2022, shocked the Anandabazar area when a minor girl was assaulted by the two men.
It is reported that the young girl is a student of Jiban Tripura Higher Secondary School entered a house familiar to her to drink water on her way home. She was allegedly approached by Prashanta Debnath, who forced her into the house, where the assault took place. Prashanta’s younger brother Pappu allegedly took advantage of the situation assaulting the girl repeatedly. Tragically, the assault led to the young girl becoming pregnant.
The case was registered at Dharmanagar police station, and Sub-Inspector Usharani Debnath from the Dharmanagar Women’s Police Station was appointed as the investigating officer. Her diligent investigation led to the swift submission of a comprehensive report within two months. The prosecution presented testimony from 23 neighbors, strengthening the case against the brothers.
Judge Sudarshan Sharma, representing the prosecution, invoked several charges under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act. Under IPC Section 376(2)(n), the court imposed a 10-year sentence plus an additional six months in lieu of an unpaid fine of Rs 10,000. An additional year and Rs 1,000 fine were imposed under Section 576. Under POCSO Section 6, both brothers received the maximum 20-year sentence and a further Rs 25,000 fine each.
The ruling has brought some relief to the community and reinforced the judiciary’s commitment to addressing crimes against minors.
