West Midnapore,15 November (H.S.):

A fast-track court in the Garbeta police station area on Saturday sentenced a youth to life imprisonment for the murder of a seven-year-old boy. The court also imposed a fine of ₹15,000 on the convict, with an additional six months of imprisonment in case of non-payment.

According to court sources, the incident dates back to December 2021. The victim, Animesh Lahabar, aged just seven, was playing with his friends in the Garbeta area when neighbour Swadesh Lahabar arrived on a bicycle. He allegedly took the child with him, after which the boy did not return home. When extensive searches yielded no results, the family filed a written complaint at Garbeta police station.

During the trial, a total of 15 witnesses—including doctors and police officials—deposed before the court. Notably, three of the child’s playmates also testified, helping establish a clear sequence of events.

On Friday, the court found Swadesh Lahabar guilty under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code. On Saturday, the fast-track court judge awarded him life imprisonment.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh