A court in Bihar's Buxar district has delivered a long-awaited verdict in a three-decade-old murder case, convicting four individuals and sentencing them to life imprisonment. The Additional District Judge-V pronounced the judgment on Thursday, bringing closure to a violent crime rooted in a land dispute.
Court Delivers Verdict After Three Decades
The court found all four accused guilty of murder under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code. Along with life imprisonment, the judge imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on each convict. The court proceedings were conducted based on evidence and arguments presented over the years.
Details of the 1993 Assault and Murder
The tragic incident dates back to August 11, 1993, in Simri Dudhipatti village under the Simri police station area. The victim, Ashok Kumar Rai, was sitting outside his house when the accused arrived at the scene.
According to the prosecution, led by Additional Public Prosecutors Sheshnath Singh and Anil Singh, the men allegedly abused Rai and then launched a vicious attack. They assaulted him with sticks, iron rods, and other weapons, inflicting severe injuries.
Rai's statement was recorded on August 13, 1993, while he was undergoing treatment for his grievous wounds. Despite medical care, he later succumbed to his injuries, turning the case into a murder trial.
The Accused and Legal Proceedings
Following the death, a First Information Report (FIR) was registered against the four men. The accused named in the case were:
- Ram Pravesh Rai
- Ramashray Rai
- Ram Pukar Rai
All three are sons of Kedar Nath Rai. The fourth accused is Samarendra Pandey, also known as Satish Rai, son of Subhash Rai. All are residents of the same Simri Dudhipatti village.
The legal process saw extensive arguments and examination of evidence on record. After thorough deliberation, the court concluded that the prosecution had successfully proved the charges of murder beyond reasonable doubt against all four individuals.
The verdict underscores the judiciary's role in addressing crimes of violence, even those that have remained pending for years. The imposition of both life imprisonment and a financial penalty reflects the severity with which the court viewed the crime connected to the land dispute.
