Case background
In October 2024, the lifeless body of a six‑year‑old girl was discovered inside a derelict warehouse in the Daladabari area of Jaigaon, Alipurduar. Investigators quickly pinpointed the child’s neighbours as the chief suspects in what was described as a vicious rape followed by murder.
Investigation and arrests
Police uncovered a pre‑meditated kidnapping, noting that the prime suspect had enticed the child with false promises. The investigation hinged on CCTV footage, forensic testing and DNA profiling. Consequently, Bablu Mian was taken into custody first, with Zaidul Islam, Manir Hussain and Majibul Sheikh arrested thereafter.
Authorities recorded statements from twenty‑two eyewitnesses, which corroborated the material evidence and established the participation of all four men.
Trial and sentencing
The fast‑track bench deliberated for approximately eighteen months before issuing its verdict. Prosecutor Debaranjan Bandyopadhyay had urged the court to impose the severest penalties permitted by law.
Finding the collective evidence overwhelming, the judges sentenced Bablu Mian to death. The remaining three defendants—Zaidul Islam, Manir Hussain and Majibul Sheikh—were each handed life imprisonment. The court rejected the prosecution’s claim that the victim’s body had been incinerated, as the allegation could not be proven beyond reasonable doubt.
Beyond custodial punishment, the state government was ordered to pay a compensation sum of ₹6 lakh to the victim’s family. The mother of the child expressed that the family had hoped for the maximum possible retribution.
While the judgment concludes the fast‑track proceedings, the convicted individuals retain the right to challenge the decision before higher courts.
