Agartala: Agartala bench of Gauhati High Court has upheld the verdict of Additional and Session Judge of West Tripura district of death sentence of an insurgent who was involved in the mass killing at Jarulbachai village in which 15 people were killed and four others injured.
The Division bench of the Gauhati High Court comprising Justice I A Ansari and S C Das yesterday cancelled the appeal of Ashok Debbarma alias Achai, the kingpin of the mass killing and upheld the verdict of death sentence awarded by Additional and Sessions Judge of West Tripura district, Subhash Bhattacharya on Nov 10, 2005.
A group of about 35 insurgents of the outlawed National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) raided the Jarulbachai village in West Tripura district at about 11 pm on 11 February, 1997 and set afire many huts of the village.
When the villagers came out of their blazing huts the ultras opened indiscriminate firing from automatic weapons killing 15 people and injuring four others.
Later the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) filed a chargesheet against 16 insurgents, but 11 insurgents were absconding.
Additional and Session Judge of West Tripura district released three of the rest five insurgents unconditionally as no evidence was found against them.
Meanwhile, the two accused ? Ashok Debbarma and Gandhi Debbarma - managed to flee from police custody before the verdict.
The police later arrested Ashok Debbarma, who was sentenced to death.
Permanent warrant arrest was issued against Gandhi Debbarma.
PTI
