Bareilly man gets life term for murder over love affair

Bareilly: A local court has sentenced a 24-year-old man to life imprisonment for murdering another person over a love affair three years ago.

Additional Sessions Judge Tabrez Ahmed also imposed a Rs 1 lakh fine on the convict Karan Valmiki for killing Jhammanlal, 22.

Additional District Government Counsel Rajeshwari Gangwar said the incident took place on the night of August 22, 2022.

Jhammanlal’s body was found the next day on a garbage heap outside the village, with rope marks on his neck and scratch injuries on his torso. His brother Madanlal lodged an FIR on August 23.

Initially, suspicion fell on three locals -- Pradeep, Sanjeev, and Sunil -- after Madanlal said Jhammanlal had argued with them over a mobile phone. However, the three were cleared during police questioning, Gangwar said.

She said the trio revealed that Valmiki was in a relationship with a village girl, and Jhammanlal had also been speaking to her, which Valmiki disliked. When questioned, Valmiki initially misled police but later confessed, admitting, “I made a big mistake. I didn’t think it would be discovered.”

Investigations found Jhammanlal had objected to Valmiki’s affair, even complaining to the girl’s brother and warning Valmiki he would catch him red-handed. On the night of the murder, after a drunken altercation at Sunil’s house, Valmiki threw Jhammanlal to the ground and strangled him with a rope, killing him on the spot.

“The court found Valmiki guilty based on the evidence and witness testimony and awarded him life imprisonment,” Gangwar added.