Village mukhiya among 6 sentenced to life in 2018 murder case in Sasaram
Deceased Adesh Kumar, a Rajput, was killed on December 15, 2018 by members of Paswan community after a caste tension in their village
The Sasaram court of district additional sessions judge-2 Vijendra Kumar Rai sentenced to life imprisonment six accused, including a mukhiya, in a 2018 brutal murder case. The court also slapped ₹1 lakh fine on each of the accused and an additional six month’s imprisonment in case they fail to deposit that.
The court also ordered the state of Bihar to provide ₹1 lakh compensation to the victim’s family.
As per the case registered with Shivsagar police station by deceased Adesh Kumar’s daughter Pooja Kumari, she was going to her native village Kirhindi with her father on a bike on December 15, 2018. As soon as they reached the south of the railway crossing near the village at 1pm, the accused, armed with traditional weapons, attacked them saying “kill Kumar and take away his daughter”.
The duo begged before the assailants for their lives saying that they were co-villagers and thus related to one another as family, but they continued attacking the man with sharp-edged weapons. Kumar died on the spot. The girl somehow managed to flee and hid in a nearby house.
The background to the killing was tension between Rajput and Paswan communities in the village. On the fateful day, there was a violent clash between the two communities and some people were also injured. The deceased, a Rajput, who was out with his daughter shopping for her marriage, was unaware of such a tension. As both of them were returning, they were targeted by the people belonging to the Paswan community.
The incident stirred widespread anger and people protested all over the district. The administration had to struggle hard to calm down the agitation.
Additional public prosecutor (APP) Anil Kumar Singh said that the trial proceeded after the police submitted a charge-sheet against the accused and seven witnesses recorded their testimonies to prove the case of the prosecution.
The court found the accused Mukhiya Satya Narayan Paswan alias Lallu Paswan, Bablu Paswan, Singal Paswan, Surendra Paswan, Sonu Paswan and Amawas Paswan of Kirhindi village, guilty and sentenced them to life imprisonment, besides fine.
Hundreds of people began arriving at the court campus on the day of the verdict announcement. A large number of police officers and personnel had been deployed at the campus and people were prevented from entering the upper floor of the court.
