A court in Koderma district has delivered a stern verdict in a brutal murder case from 2023, sentencing four individuals, one of whom is a minor, to rigorous life imprisonment. The Additional District and Sessions Judge I, Ghulam Haider, pronounced the judgment on Wednesday, bringing a measure of closure to a case that stemmed from a violent communal dispute.
The Fatal Dispute and Attack
The roots of the case trace back to May 7, 2023, in Nawalsahi. According to the official complaint, a long-simmering disagreement over the construction of a prayer room suddenly escalated into deadly violence. The complainant, Yamuna Mehta, stated that the accused persons gathered an armed mob and forcefully entered his residence.
During the ensuing attack, the victim, Darshani Devi, was brutally assaulted. The fatal blow was struck with a hammer on her head. Despite being rushed to the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (Rims), she could not survive her grievous injuries and succumbed.
Court's Verdict and Sentences
After examining the evidence, the court held the accused—Manoj Mehta, Pappu Mehta, Pankaj Mehta, and a minor—guilty of murder. The primary sentence awarded is life imprisonment with hard labour.
In addition to the life term, the judge imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on each convict. A failure to pay this penalty will result in an extra two years of imprisonment. The court also convicted the accused under other sections of the Indian Penal Code for their roles in the incident.
For charges of criminal intimidation (Section 506 IPC), they received a sentence of one year in prison. For voluntarily causing hurt (Section 323 IPC), a six-month imprisonment was handed down. The court ordered that all sentences will run concurrently, meaning the convicts will serve the life term alongside the shorter sentences.
Disposition of the Minor Convict
In line with legal provisions for juvenile offenders, the minor convicted in this case has not been sent to a regular prison. The court has directed that the minor be shifted to a special home for the duration of the sentence.
This verdict underscores the judiciary's firm stance against mob violence and murder, delivering a message that such acts will meet with the full force of the law. The ruling provides a judicial resolution to a tragic incident that disrupted the local community in Koderma.
