KHANDWA: A court here in Madhya Pradesh has awarded seven-year rigorous imprisonment to 40 persons involved in stone pelting in a 2014 communal violence case.
The third additional sessions court judge on Tuesday convicted 40 persons under sections 307 (Attempt to murder) and 188 (Disobedience to an order lawfully promulgated by a public servant) among other counts of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and also imposed a fine of Rs 6,500 on each on them, said additional government advocate Abhay Dube.
Of the total 47 accused, two were acquitted while one had died earlier.
The rest are minors, he said.
Communal violence erupted on July 30, 2014, after the alleged murder of one Sushil Padunge in the Imlipura locality of Khandwa leading to the pelting of stones.
Subsequently, the district collector clamped section 144 (prohibits the gathering of four or more people in the concerned area) to maintain peace and harmony, the prosecution told the court.
Dube said a police team was attacked with stones and sharp weapons in Ghaspur area of Khandwa on August 1, 2014, while trying to enforce the prohibitory orders, which left many of them injured.
The court also upheld sections 427 (Mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees and upwards), 332 (Voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty) and other charges while convicting and sentencing the accused.