Landmark Judgment: School Warden Sentenced to Death for Abusing 21 Children

A warden of a state-run residential primary school in Arunachal Pradesh was sentenced to death by a Special POCSO Court for sexually abusing 21 children over eight years. Two other school staff were also convicted and sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment.

A Special POCSO Court in Arunachal Pradesh handed a death sentence to the warden of a state government-run residential primary school in Shi-Yomi district for sexually abusing 21 children over an eight-year period. This landmark judgment also saw the court in Yupia convict three people in a high-profile sexual abuse case.

The convicted individuals include Yumken Bagra, who served as the school warden from 2014 to 2022, Marbom Ngomdir, a Hindi teacher, and Singtung Yorpen, the former headmaster of Karo Government Residential School. Bagra received a death sentence due to the severity of his crimes under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Ngomdir and Yorpen were sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for their involvement. Superintendent of Police, Itanagar, Rohit Rajbir Sing, stated that this verdict is a critical turning point for societal awareness regarding child protection. The investigation gained momentum under the leadership of SP Irak Bagra and was ultimately handed over to the Crime Branch Police Station's Special Investigation Team on November 24, 2022, resulting in a charge sheet being submitted before the court.

(With inputs from agencies.)