Bihar: Maoist awarded life sentence in 2019 murder and loot case

In an attack that took place on November 19, 2013, three officers of the railway police escort party of Sahebganj-Danapur Intercity Express were killed and their firearms and ammunition looted by the Maoists

The additional district judge court in Bihar’s Lakhisarai on Saturday sentenced Maoist Rajesh Koda to life imprisonment in connection with an attack on the government railway police (GRP) in which three officers were killed, officials said.

In an attack on November 19, 2013, three officers of the railway police escort party were killed and their firearms and ammunition looted by Maoists (Representative Photo)

In an attack that took place on November 19, 2013, three officers of the railway police escort party of Sahebganj-Danapur Intercity Express were killed and their firearms and ammunition looted by the Maoists.

Following the incident, based on the statement and complaint of Mohammad Imtiyaz Ali of the Bihar Military Police (BMP-12), a case was registered against the named and unknown Maoist who allegedly looted the killed three officers.

According to Ali, the incident took place at Patam Halt station between 6pm and 6.30pm when some Maoists in the garb of regular passengers boarded the train at Bhagalpur and Bariarpur railway stations.

According to the case registered, Maoist squads said to be over 25 in number and armed, boarded the train, and searched all. They identified GRP personnel travelling on the train and attempted to snatch the weapons, when the GRP personnel resisted, they shot dead three of them and injured four others, including two passengers.

The deceased officers were identified as– Ashok Kumar, Bhola Kumar Thakur and Uday Kumar Yadav. “The ultras looted three Insas rifles, carbine, live cartridges and magazines from their possession,” police said.

Additional public prosecutor Ramvilash Sharma said that additional district judge Sriram Jha convicted Koda with life under sections 302/149 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in relation to murder and unlawful assembly guilty of an offence and a fine of ₹10,000.

Counsel Dhananjay Kumar appearing for Koda said his client would approach the higher court against this decision.