Six get death for 2013 Maharashtra honour killings

NASHIK: A court here on Saturday awarded the death sentence to all six convicts in the honour killings of three Dalit youths in Ahmednagar in 2013.

The Nashik District Sessions Court had pronounced the six guilty and acquitted one in the case, on Monday in its much-anticipated verdict.

Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said the convicts have also been ordered to pay a fine of Rs 20,000 each and directed the government to compensate the victims’ families, though some compensation has already been paid.

Those who have been awarded the capital punishment include: Popat V. Darandale, Ganesh P. Darandale, Prakash V. Darandale, Ramesh V. Darandale, Ashok Nawagire and Sandeep Kurhe.

The Dalit youths, including Sachin Gharu, were hacked to death in Sonai village by Popat V. Darandale, the father of a girl with whom Gharu had fallen in love. The others convicted include her brother Ganesh, other relatives and friends of the family.

One of the co-accused in the case Ashok R. Phalke was acquitted for lack of sufficient evidence.

IANS