Arunachal Pradesh: School warden sentenced to death for sexually abusing 21 children; two more staff convicted

Itanagar (Arunachal Pradesh) [India], September 28 (ANI): A warden of a state government-run residential primary school in Shi-Yomi district in Arunachal Pradesh, has been handed a death sentence by a Special POCSO Court, for sexually abusing 21 children over a period of eight years.

In a landmark judgment, the court in Yupia convicted three people in a high-profile case concerning the sexual abuse of 21 children from a government residential school in the Shi-Yomi district.

The court found Yumken Bagra, Marbom Ngomdir, and Singtung Yorpen guilty of serious offences under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Yumken Bagra, who had been the school warden from 2014 to 2022, was convicted under Sections 328 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) as well as Sections 6, 10, and 12 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, and received a death sentence due to the severity of his crimes.

Marbom Ngomdir, a Hindi teacher at the school, was found guilty under Section 506 of the IPC and Sections 17 and 21(1) of the POCSO Act.

Singtung Yorpen, the former headmaster of Karo Government Residential School, was convicted under Sections 17 and 21(2) of the POCSO Act.

Both Marbom Ngomdir and Singtung Yorpen were sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for their involvement in these offences.

Superintendent of Police, Itanagar, Rohit Rajbir Sing said the verdict serves as a critical turning point for the broader societal awareness.

“This ruling not only addresses the immediate issue at hand but also serves as a critical turning point for the broader societal awareness surrounding the protection of children, reinforcing the collective responsibility to safeguard their rights and welfare,” he said.

The initial investigation of the pivotal case received momentum under the leadership of Irak Bagra, SP of Shi-Yomi, along with his team, and Abhimanyu Poswal, SP of West Siang, and his staff, before it was handed over to the Crime Branch Police Station Special Investigation Team (SIT).

The case was handed over to the SIT on November 24, 2022 and the SIT had submitted a charge sheet before the court.