Mathura court sentences man to life imprisonment in decade-old case

A Mathura court has sentenced a man to life imprisonment for kidnapping and killing a minor boy in the district a decade ago. The convict Omveer and his accomplice, also a minor, kidnapped the 14-year-old boy when he was playing outside his home in Barauth village in February 2010 to settle an old rivalry. They subsequently killed the boy and hid his corpse in a mustard field, 3 kms from the village, according to the prosecution.

After the two were arrested for kidnapping, murder and causing disappearance of evidence, they disclosed the crime and the body was recovered. Omveer's minor accomplice was sentenced for three years imprisonment by a juvenile court.

Since the statements of a majority of witnesses corroborated the police investigation, the judge on Wednesday awarded life imprisonment to Omveer and also imposed a fine of Rs 20,000, said Assistant District Government Council Udham Singh Chaudhary. If Omveer fails to pay the fine, he would have to spend another year in prison, the judge ruled, adding that both the sentences would run concurrently.