90-year-old man convicted of killing 10 Dalits 42 years ago, sentenced to life imprisonment

The killings, which happened 42 years ago, had sent shockwaves across the country.

Firozabad: Firozabad District Court on Thursday convicted a 90-year-old man of murdering 10 Dalits and sentenced him to life imprisonment.

The convict, Ganga Dayal, was also asked to furnish a fine Rs 55,000. The killings, which happened 42 years ago, had sent shockwaves across the country.

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“In the event of default on the payment of the fine, the accused will have to undergo additional imprisonment of 13 months,” the court said.

Government advocate Rajeev Upadhyay said, “In 1981 there was violence in Sadupur village in which 10 people were mercilessly killed and 2 people were injured. A case was registered in connection with the incident. 10 people were identified as accused during the investigation. The case was registered under sections 302 and 307 of the IPC.” Advocate Upadhyay further said that initially, the case went to trial in Mainpuri and later, after the carving out of Firozabad as a separate district, the case was transferred to a court in Firozabad.

“Following the High Court order, after the formation of Firozabad district, the case was transferred to Firozabad. Ganga Sahay, who was the only accused alive was sentenced to life imprisonment and awarded a fine of Rs 55,000 by the district court and sentenced to life imprisonment. This decision will send a message to the entire country,” the lawyer said.

A relative of one of the victims, Maharaj Singh, said he wasn’t born at the time of the incident but his elders told him that 4 of his family members were killed and 6 others in his uncle’s neighbourhood were also butchered.

“The conviction and sentencing of the only surviving accused came after 42 years. It would have been better if it had come when the elders in my family were alive and 9 other accused persons were also punished,” he added.

The case dates back to 1981 when 10 people from the Dalit community were murdered and two more were injured. A case was registered against the 10 accused persons.

Shikohabad police station was in Mainpuri district when this incident took place and it later merged with Firozabad after it was declared a separate district in 1989.

After the investigation, the police filed a charge sheet against ten accused in court. However, during the trial, 9 of the accused persons died.