The Additional District and Sessions Court here on Thursday sentenced to life eight persons for murdering a member of the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) on October 31, 2002.
Judge K.B. Patil convicted Nagaraj, alias Naga (42), Maridimma (58), Basavaraju (42), Raju (40), Ganga, alias Gangaraju (33), Basavaraju (48), Ramakrishna (38) and Balaji (38) — all residents of Basavalingana Doddi near Maddur — under various sections of the Indian Penal Code for murdering Ramesh (28) in a sugarcane field.
In addition to the sentence, the judge also slapped a fine of Rs. 20,000 each on the convicted, the Kestur police said. Political rivalry was stated to be the motive behind the murder.
