8 convicts awarded life in prison for lynching two muslim cattle traders in Jharkhand

Eight people were convicted and awarded life imprisonment on Friday for lynching two Muslim cattle traders in Jharkhand's Latehar district.

Additional District Judge (ADJ) Rishikesh Kumar awarded life term to all the accused. Each of them was also slapped with a fine of Rs 25,000. In March 2016, Imtiyaz Khan and Mazrum Ansari were beaten up and then hanged from a tree by a mob of so-called cow vigilantes in Khaprelwar village of Latehar district.

Family members of both the victims are not satisfied with the quantum of sentence. "We seek the death penalty for the killers and compensation for the family members to eke out a living," said Sayra Bibi wife of Imtiyaz. Earlier this year, six people were convicted by a Ramgarh court for lynching a Muslim on the charge of cow smuggling.