Death sentence to brothers; RI to mother

Baikunthpur, Chhattisgarh, Feb 27 (UNI) A court in Chhattisgarh's Koriya district today awarded death penalty to two brothers, convicted of murdering five people including four members of a family following business rivalry, and sentenced the convicts' mother to seven years' rigorous imprisonment.

Additional Sessions Judge A K Panda awarded the punishment to Sonu Sardar, Ajay Singh and Chhoti Bai for the murder of scrap dealer Shameem Akhtar, his wife Rukhsana, son Yakub, daughter Rana and driver Asgar Ali at Akhtar's residence in Cher village on the night of November 26, 2004. Akhtar hailed from Uttar Pradesh.

The Accused Mangal Singh, Tukaram and Jag Singh are absconding.

UNI XC-AC LS VC2320