Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, May 5: Relating to their involvement in snatching away ornaments from the neck of a gullible woman, the chief district and sessions court has sentenced two accused to five years of rigorous imprisonment (RI). They were also ordered to pay up fine of Rs 10,000 each.

The convicted persons are Muhammed Rafique (26), resident of Angel Villa, Santa Claus Road, Panaji Road, Goa, and Muhammed Mustafa (23), resident of Nelyady Golitottu.

The judgment was announced on Monday May 4. In case they fail to pay up fine, the accused will have to undergo six more months of imprisonment, ordered judge of the court, Uma M G.

Final arguments in the case had been posted to May 2, and the verdict was reserved for May 4.

A golden Karimani Sundari was wearing around her neck, weighing 63.780 grams and valued at around Rs 1. 5 lacs, had been snatched away on March 9, 2013. Sundari was then walking by the side of the road at Madrabail in Neermarga village along with Priya Moolya. Rafique had forcibly yanked away the Karimani and tried to hand it over to Mustafa, who had kept his motor bike ready to flee. As both the women raised an alarm, locals had come running. The second accused had tried to kill Sundari by riding the motor bike on her in a bid to escape. A case was registered against the accused by the city rural police, and the then police inspector, Raveesh Nayak, had investigated the case and filed charge sheet.

The policemen had found during investigation that the motor bike used by the robbers had been stolen a day before this crime.