UP: Man gets life sentence for burning ‘friend’ alive over old grudge

Lucknow: A local court has sentenced a man to life imprisonment for murdering his friend by setting him ablaze over an old enmity, court officials said on Wednesday.

According to the prosecution, the case was registered at Gudamba police station on July 12, 2012, on a complaint lodged by Anurag Tiwari.

The complainant said his son, Ashutosh Tiwari, who worked at the National Book Depot and was seeking admission to a BA course, had left home on July 11 morning but did not return. After a search, the police were informed.

During investigation, police found that the deceased was last seen with his friend Deepak Kumar on the evening of his disappearance.

On questioning, Deepak Kumar confessed to taking the victim to his native village in Sidhauli on the pretext of facilitating his admission. He then mixed sleeping pills in liquor and made him consume it. After the victim fell unconscious, the accused hit him on the head with a stick and then poured kerosene over him and set him on fire, causing his death.

The body was later recovered from the courtyard of Kumar’s house in his village, where it had been buried, on the instance of the accused.

During interrogation, Deepak Kumar said he held a grudge against Ashutosh because he was beaten up by him and his father after giving a love letter to the victim’s sister.

Holding on to the enmity, he befriended the victim once again before killing him, the prosecution said.

Additional District Government Counsel Vikas Singh said Additional Sessions Judge Rohit Singh on Tuesday convicted Deepak Kumar and awarded him life imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 6.5 lakh.

The court directed that half of the fine amount be paid to the legal heir of the deceased after due identification or to his father, in accordance with law.

Another accused involved in the case was earlier declared a juvenile and his case was sent to the Juvenile Justice Board, Singh added.