Bhagalpur riots convict sentenced to life imprisonment

Bhagalpur riots convict sentenced to life imprisonmentPatna, Nov 9 : A court in Bihar Monday sentenced a man convicted of killing a Muslim teenager during the 1989 communal riots in Bhagalpur to life imprisonment.

Bhagalpur Additional District and Sessions Judge Arvind Madhav sentenced Kameshwar Yadav to life imprisonment Monday.

Unhappy with the court's judgement, many of Yadav's supporters shouted slogans against Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

Two days ago, the court had found Yadav guilty of shooting dead Mohammad Qayyum, 15.

The police had earlier closed the case against Yadav, citing lack of evidence. In 2004 he was even given a citation by the state police for maintaining communal harmony.

However, the case against Yadav, who was also the prime accused in the killing of a Muslim shop owner, was ordered to be reopened for investigation in 2006 by Nitish Kumar.

In 2007, Yadav was sentenced to rigorous life imprisonment by the court in another case of communal violence in Bhagalpur in 1989.

Over 1,000 people, majority of them Muslims, were killed in the month-long riots in Bhagalpur city in October 1989.(IANS)