A district court in Uttar Pradesh's Firozabad has sentenced five individuals to life imprisonment for the brutal murder of an elderly couple in a property dispute. The convicts include the couple's son, his wife, two brothers-in-law, and a friend.
Details of the Sentencing
District Judge Dr. Babbu Sarang on Tuesday convicted Yogesh Singh Yadav (35), his wife Rashmi Devi (33), brothers-in-law Ankit Singh (32) and Sushil Singh (28), and friend Ravi Singh (26) for the May 28, 2023, murder of Rakesh Singh Yadav (58) and his wife Guddi Devi (55) in Nagla Ramiya village, Firozabad. The court also imposed fines ranging from Rs 20,000 to Rs 26,000 on each convict, with default sentences of two additional months of imprisonment.
Background of the Case
According to District Government Counsel Rajiv Upadhayay, the victims, originally from Etah district, had settled in Nagla Ramiya about 30 years ago. They built two houses and acquired agricultural land. Their elder son Yogesh, a truck driver, frequently quarreled with his parents over property after marrying against their wishes. He forcibly occupied one of his father's houses and pressured the couple to pay him Rs 3 lakh. Fearing for their lives, the elderly couple moved to rented accommodation in neighboring Etah district with their younger son Pradeep.
The Murder
On the day of the incident, the couple returned to the village to collect sharecropping money and lease out their agricultural fields. While returning on a motorcycle, they were chased by Yogesh, Rashmi, the two brothers-in-law, and Ravi on two bikes. Near Hathauli-Jaisinghpur village, the accused intercepted the couple and fired indiscriminately, hitting them with 10 to 12 bullets and killing them on the spot.
Legal Proceedings
An FIR was filed under IPC sections 302 (murder) and 120B (criminal conspiracy), along with relevant sections of the Arms Act, at Eka police station based on a complaint by Pradeep. The accused were arrested, and a chargesheet was filed. The case went to trial after the accused rejected the chargesheet, claiming the deaths were due to a road accident. The court, however, found them guilty and sentenced them to life imprisonment.
