A court here today sentenced seven people to life term rigorous imprisonment for committing murder in Kaliganj Hariyapara village under Pirgacha upazila here nine years ago.
The court also sentenced four persons to different jail terms for their involvements with the murder and acquitted five others as the charges brought against them were not proved during hearing of the case.
Learned Judge of the Additional District and Sessions Judge Court-2 of Rangpur Abu Jafar Md Kamruzzaman delivered the verdict in presence of all 16 accused people in the jam-packed courtroom.
According to prosecution, there was a long-term dispute between two groups led by Ashraf and Hossain of the village on a power pump of an irrigation project under the Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA).
In the morning on May 27 in 2006, supporters of both groups became engaged in a bloody clash in the village under Etakumari union of the upazila over the dispute when one Zillur Rahman, 25, was critically injured.
Zillur was rushed to Rangpur Medical College Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries in the evening on the same day.
Later, Abdur Rashid, paternal cousin of the deceased person, filed a murder case accusing the 16 in this connection with Pirgacha Thana on May 28 in 2006.
After investigation into the case, Pirgacha Thana police submitted chargesheet against all of the accused before the learned court when the process of trial began.
After examining the witnesses and evidences of the case during the long period of hearing, the learned court found Ashraf, Hossain, Rawshan, Manik, Hamid, Nazrul and Abul Hossain guilty and sentenced them to life term rigorous imprisonment.
Besides, the court sentenced Hashem, Rashid, Matlub and Rafikul to different jail terms and acquitted five others of the charges brought against them.
Additional Public Prosecutor of Rangpur Advocate Faruk Md Rezaul Karim appeared on behalf of the state while senior lawyers Advocate Abdur Rashid Chowdhury and Advocate Roich Uddin Badsha defended the accused side.
