Haryana: 16 people get life imprisonment for clash that led to two deaths
PTC News Desk: A Haryana court sentenced 16 people to life in prison in a 2020 case in which two family members were killed during a fight over Holi rituals.
The court of additional sessions judge K P Singh in Bhiwani district also found them guilty of rioting, voluntarily causing harm, and wrongful restraint, and fined them each Rs 25,000.
What is the case?
On March 9, 2020, an altercation between two groups over Holi celebrations escalated into a fight in which the duo, including a woman, were killed. The incident occurred in Bhiwani district's Bawani Khera.
In a statement to police, complainant Ajay Kumar stated that an altercation occurred with Suresh, one of the convicts, but that the situation was resolved after the intervention of villagers.
Later, Suresh and others began fighting with Ajay's uncle Jagdish. Kumar and his family members intervened after hearing the commotion, but they were attacked with sticks, knives, and swords.
Kumar's cousin Manbir and aunt Suresh Devi died in the incident, according to his complaint.
Suresh and five others were initially arrested in the case and ten more people were later arrested. They are all between the ages of 24 and 65.
“Though, in the instant case prosecution is not required to prove motive as there is direct evidence against the accused. Even otherwise it is evident that the accused party had a motive to cause injuries to the complainant party as initially an altercation took place between complainant party and accused party at the time of Holika Dahan but matter was pacified due to intervention of other villagers. Accused have failed to prove that they were falsely implicated in the present case," the court said.
Those given life sentences are Suresh, Ramesh, Monu, Baljeet, Suraj, Mukesh, Anil, Sanjay, Krishna, Ajay, Sonu, Sunil, Murti, Sonu, Sandeep and Sanjay.
They were convicted under Indian Penal Code sections 148 (rioting), 323 (voluntarily causing harm), 341 (wrongful restraint), and 302 (murder).
- With inputs from agencies
