A local court today awarded capital punishment to a gardener for killing an industrialist and his wife, his employers, last year over paying Rs 200 for treatment.
Sukhlal (25), who worked at the couple's farmhouse, was convicted under IPC Section 302 (murder) and other related provisions, and awarded death sentence by Additional Sessions Judge P K Sinha, who termed it as a "rarest of rare" case, according to the prosecution.
Sukhlal killed his employers in a very cruel manner and therefore deserves capital punishment. He cannot be given life imprisonment for the crime, the Judge said in a 14-page order.
Giving details of the case, Special Public Prosecutor A K Mandloi told reporters that Sukhlal was working with Sharad Agrawal (50), who was into business of manufacturing water purifiers, and his wife Jyoti (45), at their farmhouse in Rajendra Nagar here.
Last year, while doing his routine work he suffered an injury when a glass piece pierced into his leg following which Jyoti got him treated. However, his wound was not fully healed and he demanded Rs 200 from Jyoti for further treatment.
Jyoti said she would pay him the desired amount but deduct the same from his monthly salary, which led to heated arguments between them.
Sharad tried to pacify both of them and assured Sukhlal he would pay him Rs 500 instead of Rs 200 demanded by him.
However, Sukhlal, angry over the incident, attacked the couple over 50 times with a heavy statue of Lord Buddha and also with a piece of glass, killing them on March 20, 2013, Mandloi said.
He escaped from the spot with Rs 5,000 in cash, jewellery and other domestic items kept in the house.
The prosecution produced 24 witnesses during the trial.
