Death case: Four of a family get life imprisonment

Siliguri: The Siliguri Sub-Divisional Court pronounced life imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000 to four members of a family for beating a man to death over a land dispute, on Friday.

Sarat Kumar Chhetry, Judge of the Fast Track Court, found the four accused guilty and sentenced them to lifetime imprisonment. The convicted have been identified as Kunj Singh, Bharati Singh, Videsh Singh and Sunil Singh. Two more family members, who were minors at that time, were also accused in the case. Their trial took place in Darjeeling Juvenile Court.

In 2005, the four were working as labourers on land owned by Rupatan Sarkar in Kharibari under Siliguri Mahakuma Parishad. However, they withheld the profit share from Uttam and attempted to occupy the land by force. On July 24, 2005, the convicted had tried to occupy Rupatan’s land forcefully. When Rupatan had tried to stop them, they attacked him with sharp weapons and beat him to death.

Soon after the incident, the brother of the deceased lodged an FIR with Khoribari Police against the accused. The trial for the case began in 2009. Anindita Guha, Public Prosecutor of Siliguri Fast Track Court, said: “A total of 25 witnesses have been examined in the trial in the lower court. The court has sentenced them to lifetime imprisonment under Section 302 and imposed a fine of Rs 10,000.”