The Jharkhand High Court on Thursday adjusted the sentences of two Maoists, reducing their punishment from death to life imprisonment. The convicts were held responsible for the 2013 ambush that led to the deaths of six policemen, including Pakur SP Amarjit Balihar.

The High Court's decision came after appeals by Pravir Murmu and Santan Baskey against the 2018 death sentences given by the Dumka sessions court. Justice Gautam Kumar Choudhary issued the new ruling after examining the case details and confirming the convicts' involvement.

The court underscored the gravity of the crime, which struck at the heart of the legal system. Yet, it found life imprisonment more appropriate than capital punishment, noting the eyewitness accounts from surviving policemen and the established involvement

See Full Page