A local court in Bankura on Wednesday sentenced four members of a family to life imprisonment for the murder of a retired teacher and his son in December 2023, as confirmed by special public prosecutor Bivas Chatterjee.
Details of the Conviction
The convicts — Pintu Ruidas, his wife Namita, and their sons Maheswar and Bisweswar — were found guilty of carrying out a premeditated revenge killing following a long-standing dispute over illegal construction on the victim's land.
The Victims
The victims were 66-year-old physically challenged retired teacher Mathura Mohan Datta and his 29-year-old son Sridhar Datta. They were hacked to death inside their house on Natunchati Loharapara Road.
Motive Behind the Attack
According to the prosecution, the murders were triggered by a Calcutta High Court order directing the demolition of an illegal structure built by the Ruidas family. The accused entered the house armed with iron rods, wooden beams, and sharp iron implements, brutally assaulting the father and son.
Sridhar, who was due to get married soon, allegedly pleaded with the attackers to spare them and offered to withdraw all legal cases, but to no avail.
Evidence and Witness Testimony
The trial relied on the testimony of the lone survivor, Mallika Datta, the wife of the retired teacher, who suffered grievous injuries in the attack. Her statement was backed by 23 witnesses, telecom data, and DNA evidence, leading to the conviction and life sentence for all four accused.
