E-Paper
Dalit family attack: Muzaffarnagar SC-ST Court sentences three to life in prison
Three men received life sentences for attacking a Dalit family in Muzaffarnagar, resulting in one death and serious injuries to three children.
The Special SC-ST Court in Muzaffarnagar sentenced three men to life imprisonment for attacking a Dalit family in Rajpur Kala village under the Jansath police station limits. Along with the jail term, the court also imposed a fine of ₹35,000 on each convict.
The incident took place on February 14, 2023, when, due to an old enmity, Mohit, his son, Rajendra Singh, and their associate, Virendra, stormed the house of Sanjeev Valmiki. They opened fire killing Sanjeev on the spot. His three children - Mohit, Teep (Tirsh), and Vandana- sustained serious injuries in the attack.
Presided over by judge Asha Rani Singh, the court awarded life imprisonment to all three accused. In addition, Mohit and Rajendra were also convicted under the Arms Act. The court slapped an extra fine of ₹4,000 on Mohit and ₹7,000 on Rajendra.
Confirming the verdict issued on Monday, district government counsel (DGC) Rajeev Sharma said that government advocate Parvinder Kumar Singh and special advocate Narendra Sharma presented strong arguments on behalf of the prosecution. The decision, he added, is being seen as a strong message against caste-based violence.
Mohit Chaudhary, one of the convicts, is the brother-in-law of Sachin, who was killed in the Kawal incident on August 27, 2013. Sachin’s sister is married to Mohit, a resident of Rajpur Kala. Following that incident too, the village had witnessed heavy tension, and several women were detained by the police.
