Lucknow: Nearly 29 years after a man was shot dead over an old rivalry, a district and sessions court in Bahraich on Saturday sentenced five people to life imprisonment under the charges of IPC 302.The court also slapped a fine of Rs 13,000 on each accused, failing which they will have to serve an additional six months in prison.On Oct 21, 1996, complainant Ibrar Ahmed, a resident of Huzoorpur police station area, had informed the police that his father Mohammed Umar was fatally attacked by a group of men due to an old rivalry. According to the complaint, the incident occurred around 3am, when Ibrar’s father was sleeping in the courtyard along with his mother and other relatives. Suddenly, the accused — Arif Khan, Jubair Khan and Bechan Khan from Lakhvapaur Bahraicha village and Khalil, Ayyub, Jabir, Barati and Mithai Lal from Auri village — allegedly attacked him.During the attack, Khalil fired a shot at Ibrar’s father from a country-made pistol, killing him on the spot. The police registered a case, investigated the matter, and filed a chargesheet against all the accused on Nov 21, 1996. After a prolonged trial, district and sessions judge Satendra Kumar convicted the accused.Three prime accused — Khalil, Arif and Jubair — had already died during the course of the trial.
