Judge acquits two men of murder in Mizoram citing discrepancy in evidence

Acting on an FIR submitted by the dead man’s grandfather, police launched an investigation and subsequently arrested two men, Lalfakawma and Lalrindika.

According to documents submitted in the court, both these men told the investigating officer — a Sub-Inspector named J H Sanghmingthanga — that they killed Ronald Lalrinpuia by hitting him on the back of his head with a hammer while he was asleep, lying face-down in his bed.

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All three, the victim and the accused, were drug addicts, the documents show, and the two accused men said they had disagreements with the victim over heroin.

However, neither said they killed Ronald together but narrated instead that they acted alone.

They also both “confessed” to having locked the door from outside after the murder.

The two men were subsequently charged for murder, robbery (they said they stole drugs and some money from the dead man) and under IPC section 34 “acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention”.

When the case came up for hearing before Additional Sessions Judge Vanlalenmawia, however, both men denied they murdered Ronald.

As their statements to police also conflicted, the judge summoned the IO along with the case diary, but no headway could be made into which of the two committed the murder.

What’s more, forensic tests could not establish their involvement.

In his order discharging the accused and terminating the case, Vanlalenmawia wrote, “I am convinced… the death of Ronald Lalrinpuia could not be caused by two different persons at different times with a single hammer.”