A district court in Assam has sentenced Rintu Sarmah to death for the murder of 20-year-old Nandita Saikia, a college student, in August 2021. The Dhemaji District and Sessions Court Judge Ajay Faglu delivered the verdict after Sarmah was convicted on Wednesday under several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including Section 302 (murder), Section 307 (attempt to murder), and Section 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means).

The incident occurred on August 21, 2021, when Nandita Saikia was returning home from Moridhal College with a friend and her friend's father. Sarmah, who worked as a fourth-grade employee at the same college, attacked Nandita with a machete after she rejected his marriage proposal. The attack also injured Nandita's friend and her father. Nandita sustained grievous injuries and was initially taken to Dhemaji Civil Hospital before being transferred to Assam Medical College and Hospital in Dibrugarh. She eventually died from her injuries on August 25, 2021, at a private nursing home in Dibrugarh.

The gruesome nature of the crime and the fact that it occurred in public led to widespread outrage across Assam, with demands for swift justice and maximum punishment for Sarmah. Videos of Nandita lying in a pool of blood after the attack circulated widely on social media, further fueling public anger.

The court highlighted the premeditated nature of the attack and Sarmah's lack of remorse as key factors in its decision. According to the court, Sarmah had planned the attack and carried it out openly. The court also noted that Sarmah had collected the machete from the Public Works Department (PWD) on the pretext of using it for repairs at his home before following Nandita. The court observed that Sarmah chose a location in the middle of town to commit the crime, demonstrating his "audacious and wicked mindset". The court further added that Sarmah inflicted repeated blows on Nandita's head and body in full public view, underscoring the gruesomeness of the crime.

In addition to the death penalty for murder under Section 302 of the IPC, Sarmah received a 10-year rigorous imprisonment sentence and a fine of ₹10,000 under Section 307 (attempt to murder). Failure to pay the fine would result in an additional six months of rigorous imprisonment. He also received three years of rigorous imprisonment and a ₹5,000 fine under Section 324 of the IPC; failure to pay this fine would result in another three months of imprisonment. All sentences will run simultaneously.

During the trial, the court examined 141 witnesses and considered extensive evidence before reaching its verdict. The judge stated that the case fell into the category of the "rarest of rare" and that life imprisonment would be insufficient and would not meet the ends of justice.

Nandita's family members and relatives welcomed the death penalty. Sarmah, however, has the option to appeal the decision in the Gauhati High Court.