Sarpanch’s murder: Bandipora court sentences 8 persons to imprisonment

Bandipora, Nov 6: A local Court on Saturday sentenced eight accused to Imprisonment who were found guilty in killing of a Sarpanch in Hajin area of Bandipora district in 2014.
Principal District and Sessions Judge Bandipora, Mohammad Ibrahim Wani sentenced the main accused to 10 years imprisonment with a fine of Rs 30 thousand while six accomplices to the crime were also sentenced to three year and one month Imprisonment. A lady was also sentenced to six months imprisonment.
All the persons were convicted last week after they were found involved in the killing of Sarpanch, Abdul Rashid Wagay of village Kathpora Hajin.
The main accused Ghulam Ahmad Parray, a resident of Kathpora has been sentenced to 10 years imprisonment and fine of Rs 30,000 after being found guilty under Section 304-II RPC. He was further sentenced to three years for offences punishable u/s 341 RPC. The sentences imposed shall, however, run concurrently.
The other accused persons, namely Shakeel Ahmad Khan, Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, M Sultan Parray, Showkat Ahmad Parray, Firdous Ahmad Parray, Feroz Ahmad Parray were found guilty under sections 147 and 341 RPC and were sentenced to imprisonment of three years and one month.
The court has further ordered that the period of imprisonment undergone by the accused persons during the investigation/trial of the case shall be set off against the sentence imposed.
The case dates back to November 2014 when the deceased Abdul Rashid Wagay, a Sarpanch accompanied by his two PSOs had gone to the shop of accused Shakeel Ahmad Khan and demanded a gas cylinder from him.
Court observed that on refusal of giving gas cylinder by Shakeel Ahmad Khan, an altercation had taken place between the deceased and Shakeel Ahmad Khan. “Later-on, other family members of Shakeel Ahmad Khan joined in the fight and during the fight, the deceased was hit on his head by a blow of bat given by accused Ghulam Ahmad Parray who later-on succumbed to his injuries at SKIMS Soura,” Court further accused.
The prosecution examined 28 witnesses in this case and after conducting a full dress trial for a period of more than six years, the court has found accused No. 3-Ghulam Ahmad Parray guilty in killing the deceased Abdul Rashid Wagay while other accused persons have been found involved in the rioting and unlawful restraint.
The U.T. of J&K was represented by Id P.P. Abdul Majeed while the accused persons were represented by Advocate Shuaib Ahmad Deewani.