Death sentence for convict Yashpal, Naresh given life imprisonment

sikh protest

Our Correspondent / New Delhi

A Delhi court on Tuesday awarded death penalty to convict Yashpal Singh for killing two men in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, the first capital punishment in the case. Additional Sessions Judge Ajay Pandey also awarded life term to co-convict Naresh Sherawat in the case.

The Delhi Patiala House Court today pronounced the death sentence for convict Yashpal Singh and announced life imprisonment for another convict Naresh Sherawat in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case.

Punjab CM Amarinder, Ex CM Badal hail court verdict in ’84 riots case

The two were convicted on November 15 for killing two young Sikhs in Delhi’s Mahipalpur area after the assassination of erstwhile Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

This is the first sentencing in the case after the Special Investigation Team (SIT) took over the probe in 2015.

The quantum of sentence in the double murder case was announced today amid tight security outside the court. A massive ruckus was created outside the court premises while the suspects were going back. Due to this, a large security deployment was made outside.

The two convicts, Naresh Sherawat, and Yashpal Singh were held guilty of killing Hardev Singh and Avtar Singh. The complaint against the two was filed by Hardev Singh’s brother, Santokh Singh. Even though the Delhi Police had closed the case in 1994 for lack of evidence. However, it was further investigated by a Special Investigation Team (SIT).