13 family members sentenced to life imprisonment in Chattisgarh

A local court has awarded life imprisonment to 13 persons, including four women, of a family for killing a tribal farmer in their village over a land dispute last year.

District and Sessions Judge Anil Kumar Shukla convicted and sentenced Ratiram Raut (50), Sadhuram (50), Asharam (54), Subhash (59), Mahesh Ram (59), Abhiram (20), Ramniwas (32), Anil (25), Vinod (23), Pushpa (32), Gulapi(40), Sukhi (48) and Basanti Bai (40) to life term, public prosecutor PN Gupta said today.

According to Gupta, on November 13, 2013, members of Raut family had attacked farmer Ashok Kispotta and his family with sticks in Madwadand village under Kapu police station limits while they were working in the field, following an old land dispute.

Ashok was beaten to death on the spot while his four other family members sustained injuries in the incident. Later, the deceased's wife Sushma lodged a complaint in this connection following which all the 13 accused were apprehended, he said.

During hearing yesterday, District and Sessions Judge Anil Kumar Shukla awarded life imprisonment to all the accused under section 302 (murder) of Indian Penal Code and one-and-half-year rigorous imprisonment under sections 148 (rioting), 149, and 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) of the IPC.

A fine of Rs 600 was also slapped on each of the accused, he said.