Hostel Warden Sentenced to Death for Assaulting 21 Children in Arunachal Pradesh

A special POCSO court in Yupia, Arunachal Pradesh, sentenced hostel warden Yumken Bagra to death for sexually assaulting 21 children at Karo Government Residential School. Two other school staff members, Marbom Ngomdir and Singtun Yorpen, received 20-year sentences for their involvement. The case highlights the urgent need for child protection awareness.

A special POCSO court in Yupia, Arunachal Pradesh, has sentenced a man to death for sexually assaulting 21 children, including 15 girls, at a residential school.

The special judge for POCSO cases in the West Session division of Yupia also handed 20-year rigorous imprisonment sentences to two others implicated in the case.

The principal accused, Yumken Bagra, served as the warden of Karo Government Residential School in Shi-Yomi district. Over three years, from 2019 to 2022, Bagra sexually assaulted children aged between 6 and 15 years.

Marbom Ngomdir, a Hindi teacher, was among the co-accused, along with former headmaster Singtun Yorpen. According to Superintendent of Police Rohit Rajbir Singh, Bagra was convicted under Sections 328 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code and Sections 6, 10, and 12 of the POCSO Act, leading to his death sentence.

Ngomdir was found guilty under Section 506 of the IPC and Sections 17 and 21(1) of the POCSO Act, while Yorpen was convicted under Sections 17 and 21(2) of the POCSO Act. "This ruling is significant not only for this case but also as a pivotal moment in emphasizing the protection of children's rights and welfare," Singh noted.

The heinous acts at the residential school came to light on November 2 last year when two sisters reported the abuse to their parents, prompting an FIR at Monigong police station. Bagra, initially on the run, was arrested later that month.

In a subsequent development, the Itanagar Bench of Gauhati High Court took suo motu action on July 21 this year, canceling Bagra's bail initially granted by the special judge in Yupia.

(With inputs from agencies.)