Hone’ble Pr. Session Court, Bhaderwah Awards Death Sentence to Cop for Killing Wife, Mother-in-law
JAMMU, Nov 1: Virender Singh Bhou, Principal Sessions Judge Bhaderwah awarded death sentence to police cop namely Pawan Kumar for killing his wife Sumitra Devi and mother-in-law Champa Devi for dowry.
The facts of the legal case were that a matrimonial discord between the accused, herein and Champa Devi, who happened to be the wife of the accused resulted in the alleged ghastly act committed by the accused wherein the victim Champa Devi and Sumitra Devi, who happened to be mother in law of accused (hereinafter referred to as deceased persons) lost their lives and Des Raj who happened to be the father in law of the accused and accused were also injured in the said act.
The prosecution case as mentioned from the final report and statements of witnesses is that on 02.12.2012 at 8.30 PM the informant Raj Kumar S/O Chuni Lal lodged a written application in the police station Gandoh, alleging therein that Des Raj S/O Tara Chand, who happens to be his real Uncle and marriage of accused was solemnized with Champa Devi D/O Des Ram R/O Kandolu four years ago and the accused who is serving in police department immediately after some time of this marriage started harassing his wife Champa Devi for bringing dowry as a result of which said Champa Devi often used to come and reside at her parental house at Kandolu.
It was alleged further in the report that about 7/8 days before the occurrence the accused again repeated the same act and had also beaten Champa Devi and made her leave her matrimonial home, who along with her children had come and started living at her parental house at Kandolu. On the day of occurrence on 02.12.2012 at about 7.45 PM when his Uncle along with family members and Champa Devi were sitting in the house, in the meantime the accused was having his service rifle AK 47 with him entered forcibly into the house of his Uncle with a rifle and fired upon the family members of his Uncle with the intention to kill them. The accused had killed his aunt Sumitra Devi W/O Des Raj and Champa Devi D/O Des Raj and also had fired upon his Uncle with the intention to also kill him and got him seriously injured and the accused further in order to commit suicide in order to save himself from the punishment also had fired upon himself, due to which he also sustained injuries. The dead bodies were lying on the spot while as his uncle was struggling for life and the accused was also in an injured condition lying there.
Principal Sessions Judge Bhaderwah after hearing both sides observed that in the given facts and circumstances and also the reasons given hereinabove, the convict for the commission of offence u/sec 498-A RPC is sentenced to three years simple imprisonment and pay a fine of Rs.1000/- and in default of payment of fine he shall further undergo simple imprisonment for 15 days and for the commission of offence u/sec 307 RPC, the convict is sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for 10 years and pay a fine of Rs.5000/- and in default of payment of fine he shall further undergo simple imprisonment for two months and for the commission of offence u/sec 309 RPC, the convict is sentenced to undergo simple imprisonment for six months and pay a fine of Rs.1000/- and in default of payment of fine he shall further undergo simple imprisonment for 15 days. The convict is sentenced to death for the commission of offence u/sec 302 RPC and for the commission of offence u/sec 7/27 (3) Arms Act the convict is sentenced to death subject to the confirmation of the said sentences by the High Court of J&K and Ladakh.
Principal Sessions Judge Bhaderwah, further observed that before parting, I would like to state that the family of victim Sumitra Devi on account of her brutal murder and on account brutal murder of Champa Devi her children and on account of injuries sustained by Des Raj they must have suffered a tremendous amount of pain and agony. “Therefore, in my view, a compensation of Rs.1,00,000/- will be just and reasonable amount for providing financial assistance to the family of deceased Sumitra Devi and Rs.20,000/- to the injured Des Raj and Rs.2,00,000/- to the children of deceased Champa Devi which shall be paid by the Govt. of UT within two months after receipt of this order” the court directed.
