GUWAHATI: A special POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) court at Yupia in Arunachal Pradesh awarded death sentence to the prime accused and 20 years of rigorous imprisonment to two others in a 2022 case of alleged rape and molestation of 21 minor students.The crime was committed at a government residential school at Karo village in Monigong of Shi Yomi district between 2019 and 2022. The students, both boys and girls, were aged less than 15 years.Former hostel warden Yumken Bagra received death sentence. Former headmaster Singtung Yorpen and Hindi teacher Marbom Ngomdir were awarded 20 years of rigorous imprisonment. Special judge Jaweplu Chai had on Tuesday held the trio guilty under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the POCSO Act. ‘Shocked’ that a Special Court in Arunachal granted bail to the prime accused, the Gauhati High Court had in July last year taken up a suo moto case for the cancellation of bail.“A perusal of the charge-sheet…further reflects that the accused warden forced the children…to watch pornographic movies and repeatedly subjected them to sexual assault. The medical reports of most of the victims corroborate the fact that they were sexually assaulted as marks of violence were noticed on their private parts,” the court had stated.Meanwhile, Arunachal police said the judgement not only addressed the immediate issue at hand but also served as a critical turning point for the broader societal awareness surrounding the protection of children, reinforcing the collective responsibility to safeguard their rights and welfare.The police also said the initial investigation into the case had gained momentum under the leadership of Shi Yomi Superintendent of Police Irak Bagra along with his team, and West Siang SP Abhimanyu Poswal and his team before it was entrusted to the Crime Branch Police Station Special Investigation Team. “The successful conclusion of this case is a testament to the synergy among investigation, prosecution, media, and judiciary, all working together to ensure that justice was served. This collaboration has reaffirmed our faith in the legal system and demonstrated how various branches of jurisprudence can unite in their common goal of delivering justice,” the police said in a statement.
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