Seven years on, families of Abhijeet, Nilotpal still await justice in Dokmoka lynching

Guwahati, June 8: Today marks the seventh anniversary of the brutal lynching of Abhijeet Nath and Nilotpal Das in Assam’s Dokmoka area of Karbi Anglong. On June 8, 2018, the two young men from Guwahati were mistaken for child-lifters and killed by a mob in one of the most shocking incidents of vigilante violence in the state.

Despite nationwide outrage, promises from political leaders, and a charge sheet naming 48 accused, the families of the victims are still battling an excruciatingly slow justice system.

The case, initially touted to be a "fast-track" trial, has been anything but. In seven years, the case has seen six different judges, multiple delays due to court holidays, lawyer absences, and procedural technicalities.

According to the families, justice seems no closer than it did years ago.

“There’s hardly anything to say anymore. The months and years have passed in silence, one delay after another,” Ajit Kumar Nath, father of Abhijeet, told the press.

The statement recording of 71 witnesses was finally completed on December 21, 2023. Just when the family thought the case might move forward, the defense suddenly raised the issue that three of the accused might be juveniles. This issue is now the court’s new focus.

“For us, every single day has been a battle for justice. He was my only son. Our world collapsed that day, but we’ve had to gather courage and walk into courtrooms again and again. The process is so slow, so disheartening, that people around us are beginning to lose hope in the system itself,” said Nath.

Nilotpal’s father, Gopal Chandra Das, echoed the same emotions, expressing deep disappointment at the lack of urgency shown by the state.

“We don’t remember our son just today, we remember him every moment of our lives. The government might have issued statements back then, but nothing has changed. The court gives us dates with long gaps in between. For the past one-and-a-half years, it feels like the case has completely stalled. All we hear is ‘juvenile, juvenile’, no progress, no answers,” he says.

He also criticised the lack of concrete legislative measures against mob lynching in Assam. “Some states across India have passed anti-mob lynching laws following the Centre's directive. Why is Assam silent? Mob violence is still happening, often unreported. Back then, the CM asked us to issue a statement to stop protests, promising justice. That promise is yet to be fulfilled,” he said.

The lynching of Abhijeet and Nilotpal in 2018 led to widespread outrage, with protests erupting across Assam and beyond.

The two friends had gone on a nature trip to the scenic Karbi Anglong hills but were attacked by a mob on their return journey, allegedly triggered by a rumour about child-lifters.

The case had highlighted the dangers of misinformation and mob mentality, prompting demands for stricter laws and swift judicial action.