Tripura, 16 Dec 2025: In a significant judgment in a dowry death case, a court in Khowai on Tuesday sentenced four accused persons, including the husband of the deceased, to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment each. The convicted include the deceased woman’s husband Rabindra Debnath, father-in-law Krishna Mohan Debnath, mother-in-law Sita Debnath, and sister-in-law Shibani Debnath. The court also imposed a fine of ₹8,000 on each of the convicts.
The case pertains to an incident that occurred on January 31, 2019, at Purba Ganaki Panchayat under Khowai Police Station. According to the prosecution, Mamata Debnath, a six-month pregnant housewife, was allegedly made to consume poison mixed with khichdi by her husband. Her condition deteriorated rapidly, and she died while being shifted from Khowai District Hospital to GB Hospital, Agartala.
Mamata Debnath, a resident of Sonatala, was married to Rabindra Debnath, son of Krishna Mohan Debnath of Purba Ganaki, following social customs. The prosecution stated that soon after the marriage, Mamata was subjected to continuous physical and mental torture over dowry demands at her matrimonial home, ultimately leading to her tragic death.
Following the incident, a complaint was lodged at Khowai Police Station on March 5, 2019, after which police registered Case No. 17/2019 under Sections 304B and 498A of the IPC and Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act. All four accused were arrested during the investigation, and the charge sheet was submitted on May 20, 2019.
During the trial, the court examined 15 witnesses. After considering the evidence on record, Additional District and Sessions Judge Manvendra Debbarma held all four accused guilty and pronounced the sentence on Tuesday.
The verdict brings closure to a long-pending case involving the dowry death of a pregnant woman, reinforcing the judiciary’s firm stance against dowry-related crimes.
