Ongole : The VII Additional District and Sessions Court in Ongole, presided by Judge T Raja Venkatadri has sentenced eight persons to life imprisonment in a 2015 honour killing case from Martur police station limits. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 to each of the convicted persons.

The case involved the murder of Buruga Ratnam Babu, aged 22 years, a tractor driver from Ramakuru village, who was killed over a relationship with a 17-year-old girl from another community.

According to the prosecution, the accused lured the victim to go shopping on April 28, 2015, under the pretext of performing the marriage of the victim with their girl, and they stabbed him to death on the outskirts of the village.

The case was initially investigated by then Chirala DSP C Jayarama Raju, who gathered crucial evidence and witness testimonies leading to the arrest of nine accused under various sections of the IPC and SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The convicted persons are Shaik Muneer Basha, Shaik Anwar Basha, Shaik Nazeer, Shaik Karimulla, Shaik Baji Bude, Shaik Saddam Hussain, Shaik Shakeel, and Patan Moulali. One accused, Shaik Mastan, passed away during the trial period.

Bapatla District SP Tushar Dudi commended the investigation team and court officials, including Martur CI Seshagiri Rao, court liaison officer A Srinivasu, and public prosecutor Y Prasanta Kumari, for securing the conviction. The SP emphasized that such verdicts deliver justice to victims and serve as a deterrent to potential offenders.