Man gets life sentence, three others 10 yrs jail in riot case

A Jalna court has sentenced a man to life imprisonment and awarded 10 years rigorous imprisonment (RI) to three persons and one year RI to 17 others for killing two men and rioting at Seweli here in 2008.
District and Sessions judge S S Kosamkar yesterday convicted a total of 21 persons and acquitted 10 others.
Shaikh Khaja Qureshi (31) was sentenced to life imprisonment. The judge also imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 on him and the three convicts, who were awarded 10 years jail.
Seventeen others were slapped with a fine of Rs 7,700.
According to special government prosecutor, Sanjiv Deshpande, a communal riot broke out over playing of an objectionable song at a pan kiosk at Seweli on April 3, 2008.

Two persons -- Baliram Jadhav and Santosh Gavalkar -- were killed, while five others injured in the riot.

Police had registered cases against 33 persons, of whom two died during the trial.
The judge examined 32 witnesses during the hearing.
Statements of investigating officer V D Nikam, doctors Prakash Ujgare and Murlidhar Waghamre and the three injured persons proved crucial in the case.