SAI coach, 4 others get life in jail for killing athlete

Jagadhari, Apr 7 (UNI) A local court today sentenced a Sports Authority of India (SAI) coach and four others to life in prison for the brutal murder of an athlete over a trival matter.

Additional District and Sessions judgge Darshan Singh had in his March 29 verdict held coach Parminder Singh Bajwa and his four accomplices Rakesh, Sunil, Narinder and Ajay guilty under sections 302, 34 and 120 B of the IPC for murdering a promising long-distance national runner Vikram Saini over a minor issue.

They have also been slapped with a fine of Rs 5000 each, in default of which they will have to undergo further imprisonment of six months.

Saini was murdered in town on November 8, 2005 when he was going for his daily practice session at the local sports complex.

According to the prosecution, the SAI coach was agitated over the athlete's decision of hiring a private coach and colluded with the other four to ''teach him a lesson''.

The group attacked the young sportsman with iron rods. He sustained grievous injuries and succumbed tothem in a local hospital.

UNI