Mangaluru, April 25: Five convicts in the Kavoor Mullakad case have been slapped with life term on Friday, April 24th by the second additional district and sessions court pronounced the quantum of punishment.
The court had convicted the accused on April 22nd. Among the five convicts, an accused named Akshay Kottary had escaped from high police security at the court premises on the day of the judgement. Police rearrested Akshay Kottary at Suratkal and produced before the court on April 23rd. Hence the pronouncement of quantum of sentences was postponed by a day.
The culprits who are convicted and sentenced are namely Santosh Poojary (29) from Akash Bhavan, Gautham alias Gauthu (25) from Akash Bhavan, Akshay Kottary (24) from Ashoknagar, Gaurish alias Sujith (24) from Bajal, and Harsharaj alias Harshith (23) from Kulshekar.
The sixth accused Rohidas has still remained elusive.
Along with life imprisonment, all the five convicts have been fined with Rs 5,000 as per IPC section 302. In case they fail to pay the fine, they will have to undergo additional imprisonment of 3 months.
As deceased Kumar belongs to scheduled tribe, the court has directed Dakshina Kannada legal service authority to decide a compensation amount to be paid to the mother of Kumar.
Public prosecutor in the case was Shivaprasad Alva K.
Case details:
Kumar alias Bongu (18) was murdered at Mullakad in Kavoor on June 15th, 2012.
On the night of June 15th, 2012; Kumar after buying some mosquito coils, was walking back home with his friends. The convicts stopped Kumar at Kavoor Mullakad Fourth Mile bus stop and stabbed him. Kumar who was injured, later succumbed to his injuries in a private hospital.
In retaliation for an assault which had taken place in March 2011 at a bar on Santosh, Gauthu and Gaurish by Pradeep, the said murder was committed. Santosh and Pradeep belonged to rival gangs. After three days of the murder cops arrested three accused and the other two were arrested later.
The case was investigated and later a charge sheet was filed by then police inspector at Panambur police station Cheluvaraju.
