Desk Correspondent , Dispur - A special court in Assam convicted 20 individuals out of 45 on Monday in the 2018 lynching case involving the mob killing of two men suspected of child-lifting in Behali, Biswanath district. The court acquitted 25 others due to insufficient evidence, marking a partial closure to a high-profile mob violence incident that shocked the nation. The convictions carry life imprisonment for the guilty, with sentencing details pending.

The case stems from May 2018, when Nilotpal Das and Abhijeet Sarma were beaten to death by a mob amid rampant child-lifting rumors sweeping northeast India. Over 40 people were arrested following the attack, which was captured in viral videos showing the brutality. The trial, spanning years, and in the end the 20 convicts were sentenced under IPC sections 302 (murder), 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 149 (unlawful assembly), 186 (obstructing a public servant in discharge of duty), and 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from duty).

Prosecution sources hailed the verdict as justice served, while defense lawyers argued the acquittals reflect investigative lapses. "We respect the court's decision but will appeal," said one acquitted accused's counsel. No immediate reaction from victims' families or Assam government officials was available.