First sentencing in lynching over cow: 11 get life imprisonment for Alimuddin Ansari’s murder in Jharkhand
Nearly nine months after Alimuddin Ansari was lynched by cow vigilantes in Jharkhand, a Ramgarh court on Wednesday awarded life imprisonment for the 11 convicted in the case. The development comes a few days after a fast-track court had convicted 11 of the 12 accused, including a district BJP leader and at least three members of the local “gau raksha samiti”.
While prosecution demanded maximum punishment for the convicts, the defence counsel prayed for leniency on the ground that it was their first involvement in a criminal case. The court also directed District Legal Services Authority to ensure adequate compensation for the victim. Meanwhile, Ansari’s family members said they are satisfied with the verdict and want compensation because Alimuddin was the sole bread-winner.
The lynching of 55-year-old Ansari took place on June 29, 2017, a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi publicly spoke against those taking the law into their hands in the name of “gau raksha”. The Jharkhand government had referred the case to a fast track court under Additional Judge-II, Om Prakash, who held hearings almost on a daily basis.
