Ludhiana: A local court has sentenced a man to life imprisonment for the 2019 murder of a neighbour, whom he killed by inflicting severe blows to the head with a brick. The court of Additional Sessions Judge/Fast Track Court Sandeep Singh Bajwa also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on the convict. In default of the payment, the convict will undergo an additional six months of rigorous imprisonment.The case involves Satyam Kumar, originally from Sarangpur, Uttar Pradesh, and a resident of LIG Flats, Dugri, who was booked by the Sadar Police on March 20, 2019, under Section 302 of the IPC for the murder of Ravi Kumar. According to the prosecution, the victim’s father, Ashok Kumar, stated that on the night of March 14, 2019, Ravi had gone to attend a birthday party at Village Dolo Kalan with Satyam Kumar and a witness, Ranjit Singh. While returning between 10 pm and 11 pm near Jhamaeri village, Satyam—who was driving the motorcycle—intentionally caused the vehicle to fall. In a fit of rage, Satyam then picked up a brick and repeatedly struck Ravi on the head. Ravi was rushed to a hospital by Ranjit Singh and the party host, Pinku, but he later succumbed to his injuries during treatment. During the trial, the accused pleaded false implication. However, eye-witness Ranjit Singh testified that Satyam pushed and threatened him when he tried to intervene. Singh further deposed that Satyam claimed he was taking revenge because Ravi was in a relationship with his sister despite prior warnings to stay away. The court, after evaluating the evidence, observed that the sequence of events and medical reports showing serious head injuries supported the prosecution’s version. The judge noted that the accused failed to prove his defense that the injuries resulted from a roadside accident and offered no convincing explanation for why he would be falsely implicated. “The nature of the injuries clearly shows that the act was intentional and done with the knowledge that such blows on the head could cause death,” the court observed, concluding that the prosecution proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt.
