Silvester D’ Souza

Daijiworld Media Network – Kundapur (EP)

Kundapur, Jun 8: Kundapur additional and district sessions court justice Prakash Khanderi declared five men accused of robbing jewellery merchants near Byndoor about four and a half years ago, as guilty and sentenced them to rigorous imprisonment and penalty.

The accused are notorious robbers Ravi Jathan, Shiva Prakash, Chandrahas, Pradeep Poojary and Durgaprasad Shetty.

They are sentenced to rigorous imprisonment and Rs 2,000 fine under section 394, additional ordinary imprisonment of two months in the event of failure to pay fine and seven years rigorous imprisonment under section 397. The imprisonments will run concurrently and the fine has to be paid separately as per the sentence.

The five robbers had waylaid gold shop owner Sudheendra Shet, his father Ganesh Shet and younger sister in a field near Sonarakeri, Uppunda village, Byndoor on October 7, 2014. The robbers had threatened the victims with knives, splashed chili powder on their faces, stabbed and caused commotion. The accused had also stabbed local resident Anil Shet who rushed to the spot after hearing screams. They had robbed gold ear rings, finger rings and other jewelry worth Rs twelve lac rupees before fleeing.

The robbery had shocked the district. The police team led by the then Byndoor CPI Sudarshan and PSI Santhosh Kaikini arrested the accused within a few days and recovered the robbed valuables. The then Udupi SP had announced prize to the police team who arrested the accused within a short time.

A case under IPC column 395 and 397 was registered against the accused. The then Byndoor CPI Sudarshan had submitted a chargesheet to the court. As many as 42 witnesses were heard in the case. Beloor Prakashchandra Shetty had argued for the prosecution.