Lifer to 44 for killing three in Multai

Bhopal, Mar 19: A local court of Multai (Betul district) on Wednesday sentenced 44 people to life imprisonment in connection with the murder of three women four years back. According to prosecution, 46 people had vandalised houses of the Hungry Lohar family in Khateda village on December 27, 2004, and set them on fire.

The accused tied the hands three women Chhaya, Ratna and Mamta and threw them in the burning house. All of them were charred to death. In all five houses were set afire and three women were killed in this gruesome incident. Lohar had lodged a complaint with the Amla police station. One accused Ashok fled, while another Jeevantal, a minor, was presented before juvenile court. Additional Sessions Judge Sabhapati Yadav delivered the verdict. Two witnesses Shyam and Bali were killed on June 13, 2006, while complainant Lohar and his brother Ganesh was murdered in September 2007. The matter was sub-judice.

The court of Additional Sessions Judge SP Yadav found that it was a cold-blooded murder committed by a group of people. It also maintained that the fact might have been that the people were panicked with the family and thus they committed the crime, but they are guilty of committing heinous crime. A fine of Rs 2,400 has been imposed on each of the guilty which would be spent on financial assistance of Rs 20,000 to each of five affected families. All the accused were present in the court premises amidst tight security. Soon after the verdict came in, they were taken to sub-jail Multai.