KATHMANDU, Feb 24: The District Court in Dhanusha has sentenced two individuals to life imprisonment for their involvement in the murder of conservation activist Om Prakash Mahato, aka Dilip, in Sirpur, Dhanusha almost three years ago. Additionally, the court has handed down a 12.5-year jail term to an accomplice.

A single bench of District Court Judge Chitra Bahadur Gurung found the three – Bipin Kumar Mahato, Munindra Mahato and Jitendra Kumar Mahato – guilty in the murder that took place at Aurhi Khola in Mithila Municipality-5 Sripur of Dhanusha at 4 am on January 10, 2020.

Bipin, the mastermind, and Munindra who executed the plan were sentenced to 25 years in prison. Jitendra was found to be an accomplice. Bipin is the owner of Churiamai Sand Processing Industry while Munindra was a labourer working at Bipin’s industry. They both have been sentenced to 25 years in prison and fined Rs 500,000 each. Similarly, in the case of Jitendra Mahato, who was found guilty of murder as an accomplice, has been imprisoned for 12.5 years and fined Rs 250,000

The court has ordered the government to provide compensation to Dilip's family from the government's calamity fund if the guilty fail to provide the compensation amount.

On February 15, the district court found Bipin, Munindra and Jitendra guilty out of seven accused and acquitted the other four. The other defendants in the incident, Roshan Kumar Yadav, Shatrughan Mahato, Satyanarayan Mahato and Binod Kumar Mahato have been acquitted.

Environmental conservation activist Dilip campaigned against the excesses of the crusher industry in his home village. He was murdered by the local crusher industry operators for the same reason.

 
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