10 sentenced to death, 3 to life in jail in Seri massacre

Pat, Nov 15:  A Bihar court on Tuesday sentenced 10 persons to death and three others to life imprisonment in connection with the Seri massacre in which 34 people were killed by Maoists in 1999, a government lawyer said. The quantum of punishment for two other convicts will be announced on November 18, Additiol District Judge of Jehabad civil court Ranjit Kumar said while pronouncing the sentencing order. The court had convicted 15 persons and acquitted 23 others for lack of evidence on October 27.

The much-awaited verdict has come nearly 17 years after an armed squad of outlawed Maoist Communist Centre (MCC) killed 34 upper-caste people in Seri village of Bihar’s Jehabad district on the night of March 18, 1999. A 2002 chargsheet had accused 74 persons in the case and a trial was initiated against 56 persons as 18 of them were absconding. (IANS)