Kundapur: The First Additional District and Sessions Court has sentenced a man to life imprisonment for the 2023 murder of a fellow labourer in Harkur village under the Gangolli police station limits. The court also imposed fines after finding the accused guilty of killing the victim following a dispute over wages.
The convicted person has been identified as Raju. The judgment was delivered on July 29 by First Additional District and Sessions Judge Abdul Rahim Hussain Shaikh after the completion of the trial.
Murder followed dispute over salary
According to the prosecution, the incident occurred on May 14, 2023, when a group of labourers had come to Harkur village in Kundapur taluk for masonry work arranged by complainant Nagaraja Achari.
The workers included Sangodappa alias Sangamesha, Sanganagouda, Raju, Mahabalesha and Yellappa.
At around 9.15 pm, an argument allegedly broke out between Sangodappa and Raju over a salary-related issue. During the altercation, Raju allegedly threatened to kill Sangodappa before attacking him with a red stone found at the spot.
The prosecution stated that Sangodappa sustained fatal head injuries in the assault and died as a result.
Police investigation led to charge sheet
Following the incident, a case was registered at the Gangolli Police Station.
The investigation was carried out by then Byndoor Circle Inspector Santosh Kaikini, who collected evidence and later filed the charge sheet before the court.
During the trial, the prosecution presented witnesses and documentary evidence to establish the sequence of events leading to the murder.
Court awards life imprisonment
After hearing the arguments and examining the evidence, the court found Raju guilty of the offences charged.
Judge Abdul Rahim Hussain Shaikh sentenced the accused to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for the offence of murder.
In addition, the court sentenced him to one year of imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 each under Sections 504, 506 and 324 of the IPC for the related offences.
Prosecution team credited
The case was prosecuted by Public Prosecutor Indira Nayak, who represented the State during the trial.
Police officials and court staff also played a key role in securing the conviction. Court Monitoring Officer and Circle Police Inspector Savyateja, current Byndoor Circle Inspector Shivakumar B, Gangolli Sub-Inspector Pavan Nayak, and court staff member Rekha ensured that witnesses were produced before the court on time, facilitating the smooth conduct of the trial.
The conviction marks the conclusion of the criminal proceedings arising from the 2023 murder, with the court holding the accused accountable for the fatal assault following the wage dispute.