Kanker, Sep 17 (PTI) A special NIA court in Chhattisgarh’s Kanker district has sentenced a man to life imprisonment for abducting and killing a 19-year-old youth in a Naxal-related incident in 2019, police said.
Special Additional Sessions Judge (NIA) Deepak K Gupta in Bhanupratappur on Wednesday convicted Peeluram Anchla, alias Salik Ram (35), under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Arms Act and awarded him life imprisonment, they said.
According to the prosecution, on August 26, 2019, Shyamnath Anchla was abducted from his house in Jugda village within the jurisdiction of Koyalibeda police station by a group of armed, uniformed Naxals, including Peeluram, along with 25-30 others.
The prosecution said the Naxals later conducted a “jan adalat” (kangaroo court) and shot Shyamnath dead. A note left by the Maoists alleged that Shyamnath and his father Sunher were acting as police informers.
Following a complaint, a case was registered at Koylibeda police station under the IPC, Arms Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act against Peeluram and others.
The prosecution further said that during a joint BSF-DRG search operation in May 2023, security personnel apprehended Peeluram and two others in a forested area near Kesokodi.
A black walkie-talkie set, Maoist literature, letters, and Rs 6,000 in cash were allegedly recovered from the accused, it said.
During questioning, Peeluram and another accused allegedly told the security forces that they had planted IEDs (improvised explosive devices) along the Dhutta-Chilparis road to target security forces, it said.
The defence, however, argued that Peeluram was a farmer from Kagbars village and had been falsely implicated. It also claimed that the complainant had identified one Salik Anchla from Jugda village, whereas the accused belonged to Kagbars village.
The court, however, said the prosecution had established beyond reasonable doubt that Peeluram, along with five or more co-accused, formed an unlawful assembly, abducted Shyamnath from his home and took him to the forest, where he was shot dead.
“..it is evident from the statements of the prosecution witnesses and the investigating officer that on the date of the incident, the accused Peeluram Anchala, alias Salik Ram, acting in collusion with other Naxalites, took the deceased Shyamnath Anchala from his home to another location and shot him dead,” the court said.
The court acquitted him of charges under Sections 38(2) and 39(2) of the UAPA, observing that the prosecution had failed to produce sufficient documentary or oral evidence to establish that he was a member or active associate of a proscribed Maoist organisation.
However, the court held him guilty under the IPC and the Arms Act for the murder of Shyamnath, and sentenced him to life imprisonment. PTI COR TKP NR
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