Sonai honour killing case: Death sentence to 6 for caste-related murders

NASHIK: A local court today awarded death sentence to six convicts in the 2013 Sonai honour killing case in which three Dalit youths were killed in Ahmednagar district.

Judge RR Vaishnav sentenced the six to death and also slapped a fine of Rs 20,000 each on them for killing the Dalit youths, Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam told reporters.

The three youths were brutally killed in Sonai village on January 1, 2013, and their mutilated body parts were found in a septic tank.

The judge on January 15 had convicted Popat alias Raghunath Darandale (52), Ramesh Darandale (42), Prakash Darandale (38), Ganesh alias Pravain Darandale (23), Ashok Navgire (32) and Sandeep Kurhe (37), all residents of Ahmednagar district, under various sections of the IPC.

The six were convicted on various charges including murder and criminal conspiracy for killing Sachin Gharu (24), Sandeep Thanvar (25) and Rahul Kandare (20).

According to police, the killings were prompted by an intercaste love affair between Gharu and a girl from the Maratha community.