Two robbers sentenced to ten yrs RI

Anand, Gujarat, Aug 15 (UNI) A fast track court here sentenced two robbers to 10 years rigorous imprisonment for looting a jewellery shop in 2005.

The court acquitted the third accused. Five persons were accused in the case but one of them was shot dead by the police in an attempt trying to flee from custody while the other is still absconding.

Pankaj Kumar Rajput and Asif alias Kantaprasad Yadav were sentenced to ten years rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 2000 was slapped each on the duo.

According to the prosecution case, the two, along with a third accomplice Raj Kumar Pandey, had stormed into a jeweller's shop here armed with weapons on March 10, 2005 and made away with jewellery worth Rs 12 lakh. Pandey, incidentally, was shot dead by the police a year later.

The fourth accomplice, Rohit Kurmi, who had maintained guard outside the shop was acquitted by the court. While the fifth accomplice, Sanjay Sinha, who was deputed to purchase rail tickets and wait for the others at the Vadodara railway station, realised that something was amiss when others failed to turn up, and escaped.

The robbers, after looting the shop, had seized a jeep by threatening its owner. However, as the robbers tried to reach the Vadodara station at break-neck speed, the vehicle overturned near Bharuch and a police patrolling team immediately apprehended them.

All of the accused hailed from Patna.

UNI