http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/Seven-get-life-for-lynching-Dalit-youth-63-acquitted/articleshow/10926788.cms
Seven get life for lynching Dalit youth, 63 acquitted
Syed Rizwanullah, TNN | Nov 30, 2011, 07.28AM IST
AURANGABAD: Seven people, including three women, were on Tuesday
sentenced to life imprisonment for lynching a Dalit youth at Phulamri
taluka of Aurangabad district in February 2009. Sixty-three suspects
were acquitted for lack of evidence.
The brutal murder of Rohidas Pandit Tupe (21), who was accused of
teasing and stalking an 18-year-old upper caste girl, had sent
shockwaves across the state, leading to protests at many places.
Additional district and sessions judge R R Kadam also imposed a fine
of Rs 5,000 each on the convicts, failing to pay which would mean
additional six months of simple imprisonment.
"The four male convicts have also been sentenced to two months of
rigorous imprisonment and told to pay a fine of Rs 200 each for
obstructing government servants from doing duty, failing to pay which
would mean a month's simple imprisonment . Both the sentences will run
concurrently," additional public prosecutor Rajendra Mugdia.
The convicts - Dnyaneshwar Tejrao Jadhav, Santosh Ambadas Jadhav,
Chhotu Suryabhan Jadhav, Sachin Chandrakant Jadhav (all in the 20-25
age group) - were in prison ever since their arrest in February 2009.
The women convicts - Vijubai Jadhav (36), Rukmanbai Jadhav (75) and
Kusumbai Jadhav (65) -were taken into custody soon after the judgment
as they had been granted bail.
The Phulamri police had arrested 75 people from Pal village ,
including three minors . Two of the suspects died while investigations
were in progress. Later, the investigation into the case was handed
over to criminal investigation department (CID) following a high court
order. The CID filed a charge sheet against 70 people. "On the
afternoon of February 23, 2009, the village police patil Chhagan
Ramlal Reswal had spotted the four male convicts beating Rohidas, who
worked at a private company in Aurangabad , while accusing him of
harassing a girl for two years. They asked Reswal not to intervene and
dragged the youth to Shivaji chowk in the village. They also accuse
him of being armed with a knife and threatening and chasing the girl,
who had come out to participate in the Mahashivratri programme that
afternoon . Reswal informed the police beat marshal about the
incident. Four to five policemen rushed to the spot, where over 100
people had gathered. The accused threatened them and told them to stay
away from the place." Mugdia said.
Additional police force, led by senior officers, came to the place but
it was too late. The youth was stripped, tied to an electricity pole
and was brutally beaten up. He had sustained serious wounds. While the
male members were beating up the youth, the three women too joined
them, Mugdia said.
"Vijubai sprinkled salt and chilli powder on Rohidas' wounds,
Rukmanbai poured kerosene on him. When Rohidas cried for water ,
Kusumbai took water from a drain in her chappal and pushed it into his
mouth. The victim's younger brother, Raju, and cousin Samadhan, the
main witnesses , narrated the whole incident to the police," Mugdia
said. Rohidas was first taken to a primary health centre in Phulamri
in an unconscious state and subsequently referred to the Government
Medical College and Hospital at Aurangabad , where the doctors
declared him dead on arrival, said Mugdia.
The prosecution examined 43 witnesses, out of which 19, including the
main complainant and the village police patil Reswal and his wife,
turned hostile. Even three close relatives of the victim turned
hostile, said Mugdia.
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