Armyman accused of molestation sentenced to imprisonment

Lance Naik Anil Kumar Upadhaya was tried by an army court and has been sentenced to three months imprisonment, the army informed Sibsagar Deputy Commissioner J N Lahkar in a communication, official sources said today.

Upadhaya has also been demoted to a lower post from his current post of Lance Naik, the communique added.

The teenager was allegedly molested by Army jawans on patrolling duty near a forest in Dolopa area of the district on July 13 last year.

The girl who had gone to collect firewood from the forest was accosted by the armymen, posted in Nitaipukhuri camp, but she raised an alarm following which villagers rushed to the spot and saved her.

The incident led to wide protests in Assam with people demanding that the accused be handed over to police but army maintained that it would first conduct trial in its court.