Nagaon: “I had only one son. Those brutes beat him to death. Now I have nothing left. The house feels empty, and my heart feels hollow. All I am waiting for now is the court’s verdict. We have faith in the court. We believe we will get the justice we seek (Abhi Neel murder case verdict).” These emotionally charged words were spoken by Ajit Nath, father of Abhijit Nath, as the trial in the brutal Abhi–Neel murder case of Karbi Anglong nears its final stage (Abhi Neel murder case).
On June 8, 2018, while returning after visiting Karbi Anglong district to enjoy its natural beauty, two talented young men from Guwahati—Nilotpal Das and Abhijit Nath—were beaten to death by a mob (Assam mob lynching case). The incident triggered widespread outrage across the state (Dokmoka lynching).
The trial in the Abhi–Neel murder case, which had shaken the entire state, has now almost reached its conclusion. The proceedings are currently underway at the Nagaon District and Sessions Court.
Over the past nearly eight years, several hearings have already been completed in the case at the Nagaon court. Testimonies of a total of 71 witnesses have been recorded, and statements of 48 accused persons, including three juveniles, have also been completed. From Thursday, the court began hearing arguments from the counsel representing the victims’ side. After the completion of arguments, there is a possibility that the verdict may be delivered within a short period (Karbi Anglong violence).
On the very first day of arguments, Abhijit Nath’s father Ajit Nath was present in court and made emotional remarks before the media. He said, “We have complete faith in the judiciary. We believe the court will deliver its verdict soon and grant us proper justice. I had only one son. Now I will live by the court’s verdict alone. Today our counsel presented arguments. We are only waiting.”
Nilotpal Das’s father, Gopal Chandra Das, also became emotional while speaking to the media. He said, “We have faith in the court. After the first day of arguments, we hope we will get justice. We believe we will receive the kind of justice that the people of Assam want.”
Speaking about the hearing, the counsel for the victims’ side said, “Today, at the very beginning of our arguments, we tried to establish how the accused committed the crime. We also attempted to place before the court the details of the weapons used in the murder. The medical examination reports may be heard tomorrow. We will present our arguments until the 7th, after which the accused side will present their arguments.”
It is noteworthy that the victims’ side is expected to complete its arguments on Friday and Saturday as well, after which the accused side will present its arguments before the court.
Trial in Abhi–Nil Murder Case Reaches Final Stage