30 years after killings,SC cuts life term of 21

The next morning,another group of Congress supporters rioted in Siktahar in Malopara,leaving another man dead.

The court that heard the Siktahar death case found 27 persons guilty of murder and rioting and sentenced them to life imprisonment,but the high court later acquitted six of them. The remaining 21 moved the Supreme Court and pleaded that had been victims of political rivalry,not murderers. Their defence,however,failed to convince a bench led by Justice K S Radhakrishnan.

There was adequate incriminating evidence,including statements of witnesses,to prove their guilt,they bench said. It,however,ruled that the 21 accused could not be held guilty of murder,only culpable homicide not amounting to murder,and reduced their punishment to 10 years in jail and fine of Rs 5000 each. Half of the fine collected,the court ordered,will be given to the wife of the man killed in Siktahar as compensation.