3 get life for armed robbery that left woman, son dead

Sudeep.LavaniaAgra: An Etah court on Aug 22 sentenced three men to life imprisonment for a 2017 armed robbery in Sakeet during which a woman and her son were shot dead after their family resisted the looting, while another woman suffered gunshot injuries when the assailants targeted a second house. The court also fined each convict Rs 50,000 and ordered an additional year of imprisonment in case of non-payment.Additional sessions judge Sudha, who uses only her first name, convicted Murlidhar Singh alias Master, Kailash Lodhi and Govind Singh under Section 394 read with Section 34 of IPC for voluntarily causing hurt while committing robbery with common intention, besides Section 412 for possession of property linked to dacoity. The court also ordered that the period the three had already spent in custody be adjusted against their sentences.The prosecution case said a group of armed men entered complainant Purushottam Singh’s house between 1am and 2am on the intervening night of Oct 26 and 27, 2017, and began looting cash and valuables. When family members resisted, the assailants opened fire, critically injuring Purushottam’s wife, Laidvati, and their son, Vishwanath Pratap Singh; doctors declared Laidvati dead at hospital, while Vishwanath later succumbed during treatment. The robbers fled with around Rs 2 lakh in cash and gold and silver jewellery valued at approximately Rs 20 lakh.After leaving Purushottam’s house, the assailants entered the nearby residence of his brother, Gyan Singh, where they again opened fire when family members confronted them, injuring his wife, Reena. Police registered an FIR at Sakeet police station under Section 396 of IPC for dacoity with murder and Section 412, added other provisions including criminal conspiracy during the investigation, and subsequently filed a chargesheet against the accused.During the trial, the prosecution relied on witness testimony, medical reports, evidence relating to the two deaths and injuries, and recovery proceedings to establish the role of the three men in the crime. After examining the evidence, the court concluded that the prosecution had proved their involvement in the robbery and the injuries caused with common intention and sentenced all three to life imprisonment.(With Inputs from Vikas Dubey in Etah)