Death sentence in Gitadabling couple murder case

Yowan Mothay, EOI, KALIMPONG, DECEMBER 22, 2023 : The main accused in the Gitadabling murder case of June 19, 2014, was on Thursday sentenced to death by the court of the Additional District and Sessions Judge, Kalimpong, Public Prosecutor Prem Pradhan said on Friday. 

Early on that morning, Dominic Bhutia (38), his wife Christina Bhutia (35) and daughter Rinji Angmu Bhutia were attacked with a sharp khukuri. Only daughter Rinji Angmu Bhutia survived. Hanjit Rai and his son Puran Rai were later arrested and a case under sections 302, 326 and 307 IPC was registered. Subsequently, Puran Rai committed suicide in a hospital in Darjeeling. The court ordered Rs 5 lakh in compensation to Rinji Angmu Bhutia. 

KalimNews: Angmu the eldest daughter was twelve years old at the time of the incident when she along with her parents were attacked at their house located in Lower Beong by their neighbour Puran Rai and his father Hanjit Rai. Villagers found all of them in a pool of blood and informed the police.

Angmu had identified Puran whose mask came undone during the attack. On 25 October 2014 he committed suicide in the police cell of Darjeeling Sadar Hospital.

Though her parents succumbed to their injuries she managed to survive after being hospitalised with serious injuries 

that damaged her right eye. In the incident her younger sister who was five years old at that time had escaped the attack.