Guwahati, Oct 3 (IANS): A district and sessions court in Assam on Thursday awarded death penalty to Bikash Das for rape and murder of a college student on a moving train in July 2018.

"The convict Bikash Das is to be hanged by neck till death. In view of awarding of death penalty, sentence of fine is not imposed on the convict Das," said the Sivsagar district and sessions court judge.

The court told the convict he had the right of appeal against the order before the Gauhati High Court within 30 days either by appointing his own advocate or though legal aid panel advocate or by way of Jail Appeal.

On July 10 last year, Bikash and his accomplice raped and killed one Radha Kumari, a student of the Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, on a moving train and dumped the body in the train toilet.

The body was spotted at Simlaguri station by a passenger and the police was informed.

The body of an elderly woman was recovered from another train in the Dibrugarh district the next day causing massive public outcry for punishing the guilty.

Later, thepolice arrested Bikash and Bipin Pandey for involvement in the crime. Bikash confessed to the crime.