Assam: Husband, wife sentenced to life for murder in Dhubri

A local court has sentenced a husband and wife to life imprisonment until death for the murder of a man whose body was found buried beneath their bed.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Syed Burhanur Rahman delivered the verdict on Friday, March 28, at the Dhubri District Court, holding Ketab Ali and his wife, China Khatun, guilty under Sections 302, 211, and 34 of the Indian Penal Code. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on each convict.

The case dates back to 2011 when Sahid Ali filed a missing person report at the Fakirganj Police Station regarding his brother, Somer Ali. Suspicion arose when Ketab Ali and China Khatun began displaying unusual behaviour. A police investigation led to a shocking discovery—Somer Ali’s body was found wrapped in jute and buried beneath the couple’s bed in their home in Boyezer-Alga.

Seventeen witnesses testified during the trial, and after nearly a decade of legal proceedings, the court found the accused guilty. The judgment emphasised the severity of the crime, stating that the victim suffered immense physical pain and agony before his death. The court described the act as “ghastly, abominable, inhuman, and barbaric.”

The verdict was met with relief by the victim’s family, who had waited years for justice. Special Public Prosecutor Dinesh Choudhury highlighted the ruling as a significant step in upholding the rule of law and delivering justice to the bereaved family.