Life imprisonment for six

Coimbatore, Mar 19 (UNI) District and Sessions Court Judge G Chokkalingam today awarded life imprisonment and a fine of Rs 3,000 each for six persons, who had assaulted two persons and murdered another person on April two, 2006 on a petty quarrel over Rs 350, at Tirupur in the district.

According to the prosecution, a hosiery worker Raja (20) borrowed Rs 350 from Jeeva some time back. When Jeeva asked Raja to return the cash, Raja's friend Kozhinjiappan has agreed to pay.

On April two, 2006, Jeeva asked for the amount from Kozhinjiappan, while he was consuming liquor along with his other friends Renjith and Iyappan. A quarrel ensued between them.

In the melee, Kozhinjiappan and his friends beat up Jeeva. On the same night, Jeeva brought his friends Udayan, Shiva, Vinod, Raman and Mariappan and beat Kozhinjiappan and his friends with iron rods and other wooden weapons.

In the clash, Iyappan was killed on way to the hospital while Kozhinjiappan and Ranjith were injured.

Tirupur police arrested all the six persons and charged them under four sections of IPC,including murder.

The Judge today awarded life imprisonment and fine of Rs 3,000 each to the convicts.

UNI KS GKT MSJ HT2130