Friday, April 29 2005 21:54 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kolkata: Three killed and twenty-seven persons awarded life sentence. And all for a goat!

It was a sultry day in May 1986. A goat had strayed into the paddy field of one Hemanta Dhara and had started eating paddy at Brajaballavpur in East Midnapore district, about 120 km from Kolkata.

Seeing this, Dhara raised an alarm, at which the goat fled the spot. Dhara then managed to catch hold of Gopal, son of the goat's owner Subal Garai, and confined him.

Gopal, he said, would be released only after compensation for the crop lost.

Irked at this, Subal led a mob to Hemanta's house to free his son. In the attack that followed, Hemanta and two other villagers were killed and several houses were burnt.

A case of murder was instituted by Moyna police station and 36 persons, including Subal, were awarded life sentence by the Sessions court of East Midnapore.

The convicts filed an appeal before the Calcutta High Court, challenging the sentence.

After prolonged hearing of the case, a division Bench comprising Justice Alok Kumar Basu and Justice P K Deb today (Apr 29, 2005) confirmed the life sentence of 27 persons, while acquitting seven others.

Free on bail at present, the 27 convicts were directed to surrender before the Sessions court and serve the sentence.

Two of the convicts, including Subal, died during the pendancy of the appeal.

And all this for a mere goat!