The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Faridpur

Twenty-four people were sentenced to life term while two others to three years' rigorous imprisonment by a court here on Tuesday in a double murder and robbery case. The court also fined the lifers Tk 1,000 each, in default, to suffer two months more in prison.

The lifers are Alamgir Matubbar, Jamal Matubbar, Tabibar Rahman Sheikh, Abu Bakkar Munshi, Alamgir Sheikh, Hafez Talukder, Yunus Fakir, Hiru Mollah, Miran Mridha, Shahid Khan, Kubbat, Masum, Tipu Khan, Shah Matubbar, Rois, Alamin Talukder, Shada Miran, Farid Mollah, Giasuddin, Kiamuddin alias Kia, Haider Sheikh, Nuru Fakir, Mazibar Rahman Talukder and Rustom.

Two others - Biplob Das and Shyamal Chandra Pal - sentenced to three years imprisonment for keeping the looted goods - were also fined Tk 1,000 each, in default, to suffer two months more in jail. According to the prosecution, a gang of 30-35 robbers stormed into the houses of Subhash Chandra Saha, his uncle Balram Saha and neighbor Ratan Poddar at Rajapur village in Bhanga upazila at dead of night on March 22, 2001.

Later, the bandits looted money in cash, gold ornaments and other valuables, worth about Tk 6 lakh at gunpoint from the three houses. The gang while fleeing fired shots when the house inmates raised hue and cry, leaving Balram Saha and Ratan wounded critically. Both the injured later died at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. After the incident, Subhash Chandra Saha filed a case with Bhanga thana. Police later submitted a charge sheet against 33 people. Of them, five gave their confessional statements. After examining the records and witnesses, Additional District and Sessions Judge Mohammad Akbar Hossain Mridha handed down the verdict in the jam-packed courtroom.

Seven others - Moslem Matubbar, Shahid Mridha, Mannan Mollah, Aiyub Mollah, Mayur Mollah, Akrat Mollah and Tarek Mollah - were acquitted, as the allegation brought against them could not be proved.