Pilibhit : Two brothers in their early 20s allegedly killed a 50-year-old farmer in Pilibhit on Tuesday to avenge their father’s murder two decades ago, police said after taking the duo into custody. Ved Ram, who had served five years in jail in connection with the 2005 killing, was attacked with a sharp-edged weapon near agricultural fields in Bilhari village under Puranpur Kotwali police station limits.
The case dates back to 2005, when Ram and seven others were accused of killing the brothers’ father, Nand Ram, a neighbour, after a minor dispute over dumping household waste escalated. Ram was subsequently sentenced to five years in jail and was released around 11 years ago. Police registered an FIR against all nine accused under BNS sections 103(1) for murder, 190 for unlawful assembly, 191(2) for rioting and 191(3) for rioting while armed with a deadly weapon.
Police said Ram had left home early Tuesday morning and was heading towards the fields to relieve himself when a group allegedly surrounded him and struck him on the head with a sharp-edged weapon, killing him on the spot. Asked why Ram had served five years despite being convicted in a murder case, Madhav said police were retrieving the old court record. “We are trying to obtain a copy of the old judgment to ascertain precisely the reasons behind it,” he said. Puranpur Kotwali SHO Pawan Pandey said Ram’s body was sent for post-mortem examination and Nand Ram’s two sons were taken into custody. The other seven accused were absconding and efforts were under way to arrest them, he said.
His wife, Madhuri Devi, subsequently lodged a complaint naming nine people, including the two brothers. All eight were arrested at the time.