On Friday, a special court in Nagaon, Assam, sentenced 20 individuals to life imprisonment for their roles in the 2018 mob lynching of Abhijit Nath (29) and Nilotpal Das (30) in Karbi Anglong district. The court, led by District and Sessions Judge Dibyajyoti Mahanta, determined that the accused had brutally assaulted the victims, but declined to impose the death penalty, stating the case did not qualify as one of the 'rarest of rare'. Each convict was also fined ₹20,000 (approximately $240 USD). Families of the victims expressed their disappointment, arguing that the punishment did not reflect the severity of the crime. The incident occurred on June 8, 2018, when Nath and Das were attacked by a mob after rumors falsely labeled them as child abductors. Following the incident, 48 people were arrested, with 45 facing charges in court. The trial was moved to Nagaon from its original venue in Diphu due to directives from the Gauhati High Court. The defense plans to appeal the life sentences, arguing that the evidence did not support murder charges under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code.