The Tirap district and sessions judge on Wednesday convicted two people for throwing acid on and disfiguring a mobile phone shop operator at Longding in Arunachal Pradesh and five others almost 18 months ago.
H Kashyap, the judge sentenced the duo of Nipen Das and Ahon Wangsa to undergo rigorous imprisonment for 14 years and pay Rs. 12 lakh as compensation to the victims for meeting their medical expenses.
According to the police, one Shehnaj Hussain had on February 3, 2019, filed an FIR at the Longding police station in Longding district saying that an unknown miscreant had thrown acid upon Anwar Uddin and three others. A case was registered under section 326A of the Indian Penal Code.
Anwar, his brother Aftar Uddin and four others had sustained grievous burn injuries. The head, face, neck and chest of Anwar were severely burnt, forcing him to be in ICU and undergo three plastic surgeries.
The investigation headed by sub-inspector J Wangsu revealed Das had engaged Wangsa for throwing acid on Anwar and the others. Both Das and Anwar have mobile shops in the Longding market and two had a business rivalry.
Based on the charge-sheet against Das and Wangsa, Judicial Magistrate First Class Epi Kadu took cognisance of their offence and referred the case to the District and Sessions Court. The two accused were in judicial custody during the trial period.
The hearing of the case was done via video conferencing due to the Covid-19 lockdown.
Police said Puman Wangnow, the third accused in the case, was acquitted for lack of evidence against him.