Two BSF Personnel Get 42-Year Jail Term in Shocking Gang Rape and Acid Attack Case

Aizawl, June 16: In a significant judgment nearly nine years after the crime, a court in Mizoram's Aizawl district on Tuesday sentenced two Border Security Force (BSF) personnel to a total of 42 years of rigorous imprisonment for gang raping a woman and attacking her with acid in 2017.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Sylvie Zomuanpuii Ralte sentenced the two convicts, Nilanjan Das and Dinesh Kumar, after finding them guilty under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The court, however, acquitted both men of murder charges related to the death of the survivor's companion, citing insufficient evidence.

Conviction and Sentence

The court awarded:

• 20 years' rigorous imprisonment for gang rape,

• 10 years' rigorous imprisonment for rape causing grievous bodily harm, and

• 12 years' rigorous imprisonment for acid attack.

The sentences will run consecutively, resulting in a total imprisonment term of 42 years for each convict.

Additionally, the court imposed a fine of Rs 60,000 on each accused. Failure to pay the fine would attract an additional two months of imprisonment under each count.

The 2017 Incident

According to the prosecution, the incident occurred on July 16, 2017, near the Gaskata river in Silsuri West village of Mamit district along the Mizoram-Bangladesh border.

The survivor and her companion, Rangobi, had gone into a forested area to collect crabs and wild vegetables when they allegedly encountered the two BSF personnel, who were posted at a nearby border outpost.

The survivor testified that the accused forcibly took her to a betel nut plantation, sexually assaulted her, and later poured a corrosive substance on her face. The attack resulted in severe burns, permanent facial disfigurement, and loss of vision in one eye.

Evidence Relied Upon by the Court

The court observed that the survivor's testimony remained consistent throughout the trial and was supported by forensic and medical evidence.

Investigators recovered material evidence from the survivor's clothing and from the remains of Rangobi. Forensic examinations detected traces of corrosive substances linked to the acid attack.

The survivor also identified both accused during a Test Identification Parade conducted before a Judicial Magistrate on September 5, 2017.

During the trial, the prosecution examined 18 witnesses, including medical experts, investigating officers, and local residents.

Acquittal in Murder Charge

While post-mortem and forensic reports concluded that Rangobi had been murdered, the court held that the prosecution failed to establish beyond reasonable doubt that Das and Kumar were responsible for her death.

The judge noted that the chain of circumstantial evidence was incomplete and did not conclusively connect the accused to the homicide. As a result, both were acquitted of murder charges.

Legal Significance

The judgment highlights the evidentiary standards required in criminal trials. While the court found sufficient direct and forensic evidence to convict the accused for gang rape and acid attack, it declined to extend criminal liability for murder in the absence of a complete evidentiary chain.

The case also underscores the long judicial journey often faced by survivors of sexual violence, with the conviction coming nearly nine years after the crime was committed.