7 get life term for setting woman ablaze

Legal Correspondent

Ludhiana July 20

The Court of Additional Sessions Judge Harbans Singh Lekhi has sentenced seven persons — Mohd Anwar, Mohd Shahzad, Mohd Niaz Chotu, Bindra Bharti, Amarjit Singh, Jua Bharti and Vikas Kumar Sinha, residents of Prem Nagar, Dhandari Khurd, here, to undergo rigorous life imprisonment on the charges of setting ablaze a woman following old enemity. A fine of Rs 28,000 each was also imposed on the accused.

Delivering the verdict, the court held that the prosecution has successfully proved the guilt of the accused. Considering facts and circumstances of the present case and further considering the manner in which the offence was committed, the court declined the plea of leniency raised by them.

In this regard, a case was registered by the Focal Point police station on December 4, 2014, on the statement of badly burnt Shehnaz Kahtoon, a resident of Prem Nagar, Dhandari Khurd.

The complainant had stated to the police that she was alone at her home when the incident occurred. The accused entered her room and put kerosene on her and set her ablaze. It was done to teach a lesson to her as she had filed a case against the four accused and was not succumbing to their pressure to withdraw the case. The badly injured woman was got admitted to Rajindra Hospital, Patiala. Thereafter, she was shifted to the GMCH in Chandigarh but could not survive due to severe burn injuries.

However, during the trial, the accused pleaded innocence. But after appreciating the evidence on record, the court found them guilty and sentenced accordingly.