JK: Man awarded 5-yr jail for theft in train

Jammu, Mar 25: A POTA court of Jammu and Kashmir has awarded five-year imprisonment to a person for committing theft in a train by administering intoxicant to passengers, sources said here today.

Presiding officer TADA/POTA/3rd Additional Sessions Judge Jammu, N D Wani yesterday awarded five years imprisonment to Romesh Nishad, 23, a resident of Azamgarh in Uttar pradesh, who was arrested by the railway police while trying to commit theft in a train.

The judge considered the arguments of both sides and held that the accused deserves a lenient view being a poor person, and not convicted prior to this case.

The court awarded concurrently three years imprisonment and Rs 1,000 fine to the accused under section 328, and two years imprisonment and Rs 500 fine under section 379/511.

As per the Challan, Nishad and complainant Amod Kumar were travelling in Shatabdi Express on July 6, 2004 when the accused offered biscuits containing some intoxicant to commit theft.

Though the complainant immediately fell unconscious after consuming biscuits yet the accused was caught by the Railway police.

UNI