Capital punishment to 10, lifer to 4 in Amausi massacre set

The Patna High Court today set aside the death sentence of 10 and life imprisonment to four others in the Amausi massacre in Khagaria district over three years ago, on benefit of doubt.
A division bench of Justices V N Sinha and R K Mishra passed the order on appeal filed by all 14 convicts challenging the Khagaria district court order of 2012 awarding death sentence to ten and lifer to four others.
"The appellants are granted benefit of doubt ... The ADJ's order is being set aside and the appeal allowed," the bench said while acquitting all the 14.

"The appellants are directed to be released forthwith if they are not wanted in any other case," the court ruled.
Khagaria's Additional District and Session Judge Chandra Bhushan Dwivedi, had in an order on February 15, 2012, awarded death sentence to ten accused persons and lifer to four others.
Altogether 16 people, including five children, all residents of Itcharia village, were gunned down allegedly by the armed Dalit men of Amausi Bahiar village on the intervening night of October 1-2, 2009.