Dumka: Eight persons were sentenced to life imprisonment after a lower court in Deoghar found them guilty of killing a man and his driver under Jasidih police station limits in 2013. The court of Additional Sessions Judge-III Rajendra Kumar Sinha also imposed a fine of Rs 22,000 on each convict, with an additional three months of rigorous imprisonment if they fail to pay.The convicts are Mantosh Yadav, Kunal Kumar Sah alias Bhatt Sah, Baleshwar Yadav, Panchu Raut, Ranjay Yadav, Sanjay Yadav, Dinesh Yadav and Amit Kumar Soni alias Chanakya, all residents of Jasidih police station area.According to the prosecution, Mukesh Kumar Singh was headed to Deoghar in his SUV, which was being driven by his driver Sonu Kumar, on Aug 2013. Their vehicle was stopped by villagers near Kolhabad-Ajan Tola after an altercation.The duo was later surrounded near Kumhardabad-Rohini and assaulted with sticks, rods and other lethal weapons. Both suffered grievous injuries and died on the spot. The assailants then set the SUV ablaze and fled with Rs 25,000 kept inside it. Ramswaroop Rai, father-in-law of Mukesh, lodged an FIR at Jasidih police station. Police later identified and arrested the accused and filed a charge sheet.While Mukesh was a resident of Bargunia village under Devipur police station of the district, his driver Sonu was a resident of Basuadih under Jasidih police station.Additional Public Prosecutor Sunil Kumar Singh examined 12 prosecution witnesses during the trial.
