Mangaluru: The Second Additional District and Sessions Court in Mangaluru has sentenced five people to life imprisonment for the 2015 murder of Madoor Yusuf inside the Mangaluru District Prison.
Judge Jagadeesh V.N. pronounced the sentence on October 1, nearly 11 years after Yusuf was killed inside the prison on November 2, 2015. The court also imposed a total fine of Rs 76,000 on the five convicts. The sentencing followed the court’s September 28 verdict, in which five of the 10 accused were convicted and the remaining five were acquitted.
The case was registered at Barke Police Station, which has jurisdiction over the prison. The investigation was conducted by the then Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Tilak Chandra, who later filed the chargesheet against 10 accused before the sessions court.
Five accused sentenced to life imprisonment
The five people sentenced to life imprisonment have been identified as Lithesh Poojary alias Lithu, Shobharaj alias Shobhi, Yuvaraj, Pradeep and Umesh Kombar alias Umesh Kumbara.
According to reports, Lithesh Poojary was associated with the Soorinje area, while Shobharaj was from Madhya in Surathkal. Yuvaraj was from Shibaroor, Pradeep from Ulaibettu and Umesh Kombar from Balagodu village in Sullia taluk.
The court found the charges against the five accused proved during the trial. Following the conviction, the court proceeded to determine the sentence, ultimately awarding life imprisonment to all five.
The court also imposed a total fine of Rs 76,000. Reports from multiple local news organisations confirmed the life sentences and fine following the October 1 hearing.
Madoor Yusuf was murdered inside prison in 2015
The case relates to the murder of Madoor Yusuf inside the Mangaluru prison on November 2, 2015.
The incident occurred within the prison premises and came under the jurisdiction of Barke Police Station. Police registered a criminal case following Yusuf’s death and began an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the murder and the alleged involvement of those accused.
The investigation was led by ACP Tilak Chandra, who was then serving in the Mangaluru Central Sub-Division. After completing the investigation, police submitted a chargesheet against 10 accused before the Second Additional District and Sessions Court on January 28, 2016.
The case subsequently went through the trial process, with the prosecution presenting evidence and arguments before the court.
Court convicted five and acquitted five
The sessions court delivered its conviction order on September 28, 2026.
Five accused — Lithesh Poojary, Shobharaj, Yuvaraj, Pradeep and Umesh Kombar — were found guilty in connection with the murder. The court acquitted five other accused: Sharan Poojary, Mahesh Kumar, Kamalaksha Poojary, Latheesh and Sathish Poojary. Sathish Poojary had died by the time of the verdict, according to reports.
The September 28 order established the convictions, while the quantum of punishment was taken up separately. The court announced the life sentences on October 1.
The distinction between the two stages is important in the case. The court first determined whether the charges against the accused were proved and subsequently decided the punishment for those convicted.
Chargesheet filed in January 2016
The police investigation resulted in a chargesheet being filed in January 2016, a few months after the murder.
The case was registered under several provisions of the Indian Penal Code, including Sections 143, 144, 147 and 148, along with provisions relating to assault, causing hurt, murder and other offences. The case also invoked Section 149, which deals with liability for offences committed by members of an unlawful assembly. Another recent report also lists provisions including Sections 120B and 307 among the charges recorded during the investigation.
The prosecution was represented by Special Public Prosecutor B. Mohan Kumar.
The investigation and subsequent trial examined the allegations against all 10 accused. Following the conclusion of the proceedings, the court found the charges proved against five of them while acquitting the others.
Verdict comes nearly 11 years after murder
The sentencing marks the latest stage in a criminal case that began almost 11 years ago.
Yusuf was murdered in November 2015, and the police filed the chargesheet in January 2016. The case then remained before the sessions court through the trial process before the court delivered its conviction order in September 2026.
The nearly decade-long gap between the incident and the final sentencing reflects the length of the judicial process in a serious criminal case involving multiple accused and several charges.
With the court now sentencing the five convicted persons to life imprisonment, the trial court proceedings have reached the sentencing stage for those found guilty.
Five others acquitted
The court’s decision also resulted in the acquittal of five other accused named in the case.
Sharan Poojary, Mahesh Kumar, Kamalaksha Poojary, Latheesh and Sathish Poojary were acquitted after the court considered the evidence presented during the trial. Sathish Poojary had died during the course of the proceedings, according to reports.
The outcome therefore resulted in five convictions and five acquittals among the accused named in the original chargesheet.
The conviction of the five accused and their subsequent life sentences are based on the findings of the sessions court following the evidence and arguments presented during the trial.
Barke police investigated the case
Barke Police Station registered the case following the murder inside the prison.
The investigation was led by the then ACP Tilak Chandra, who prepared and submitted the chargesheet in January 2016. The prosecution subsequently presented its case before the Second Additional District and Sessions Court.
Special Public Prosecutor B. Mohan Kumar represented the state during the proceedings. Judge Jagadeesh V.N. presided over the trial and delivered the conviction and sentencing orders.
The latest court order provides the judicial conclusion at the trial level for the five persons convicted in the case.
Conclusion
The Second Additional District and Sessions Court in Mangaluru has sentenced five accused to life imprisonment for the 2015 murder of Madoor Yusuf inside the Mangaluru District Prison. The court also imposed a total fine of Rs 76,000.
The court had convicted five of the 10 accused on September 28 and acquitted the remaining five. The life sentences announced on October 1 bring the trial proceedings to the sentencing stage, nearly 11 years after Yusuf was murdered inside the prison.