Alipurduar, Feb. 13 -- The Alipurduar District Court has sentenced a man to life imprisonment for murdering his friend with a sharp weapon over an unpaid gambling debt. The convicted individual has been identified as Faridul Islam.
The incident occurred on October 30, 2014, during Chhath Puja. Zahir Hossain (24), a resident of Sishubari Hat in Madarihat, was found in a critical condition with severe injuries inflicted by a sharp weapon. He was rushed to the hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries the following day.
Following the incident, locals apprehended Zahir's friend, Faridul Islam and confined him in his house, suspecting his involvement in the murder. Police later rescued the accused and took him into custody. Zahir's father, Noor Islam, subsequently filed a written complaint against Faridul, leading to his arrest at Madarihat Police Station. During the investigation, police also recovered the weapon used in the crime. However, the accused was later granted bail. Dulal Ghosh, the Public Prosecutor of the Additional District and Sessions Judge Court, stated: "Additional District and Sessions Judge Paresh Chandra Karmakar pronounced the verdict on Wednesday.
The convicted individual has also been fined Rs 10,000, failing which he will serve an additional six months in prison. A total of 18 witnesses testified during the trial. After nearly a decade of legal proceedings, the court found the accused guilty under Section 302 on Tuesday and on Wednesday, he was sentenced to life imprisonment with hard labour."
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.