Koderma District Court Delivers Verdict on Gruesome 2019 Family Murder Case
Koderma, October 8, 2024: In a landmark judgment, the Koderma District Court on Tuesday sentenced 30-year-old Gango Das to death for the brutal murder of six members of his family, including his pregnant wife, two children, niece and mother.
The case, which has shocked the community and garnered widespread attention, was deemed one of the “rarest of the rare” by the court, justifying the death penalty. The decision brings closure to a horrifying incident that unfolded on November 26, 2019, in the village of Nawalshahi, located in the Koderma district of Jharkhand.
The Crime: A Shocking Massacre Within the Family
On the fateful night of November 26, 2019, what began as a domestic dispute spiraled into a tragic massacre. Gango Das, intoxicated and armed with a large knife and iron rod, attacked his family in a drunken fury.
According to the prosecution’s case, Gango began by arguing with his pregnant wife, Sheela Devi. The argument quickly escalated, and in a fit of rage, he fatally attacked her with the weapons he carried.
His violent rampage did not stop there. His two children, Radhika Kumari, aged 4 and Piyush Kumar, aged 2, became his next targets. In a gruesome act, he bludgeoned and stabbed both young children, killing them instantly.
Hearing the commotion, his mother, Shanti Devi, rushed to intervene, but she too was assaulted with the same brutality. Though severely injured, she survived the attack but was left traumatized.
Gango Das’s niece, Chandni Kumari and another relative, Nitika Kumari, were also assaulted and gravely injured during the chaos. The event left the local community in shock, reeling from the brutality inflicted by one man on his own family.
The Legal Proceedings: A Case of “Rarest of the Rare” Murders
The investigation that followed revealed Gango Das’s actions were premeditated and exceptionally cruel, leading the public prosecutor, Angelina Barla, to push for the death penalty.
During the trial, witnesses recounted the horror of the night, detailing how neighbors attempted to intervene as the events unfolded but were met with threats from Gango, who barricaded himself in a room after the murders. It was only after the police arrived that they were able to take him into custody.
The case, registered at the Nawalshahi police station, was charged under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the section that deals with murder.
Additional charges included assault and grievous injury. The court, presided over by Additional District and Sessions Judge Rakesh Chandra, meticulously reviewed all witness testimonies, forensic evidence, and the prosecution’s arguments.
In delivering the judgment, Judge Chandra declared that the crime committed by Gango Das fell into the category of “rarest of the rare” cases, a designation used in the Indian legal system to identify cases that are so heinous in nature that they warrant the death penalty. The judge also imposed a fine of ₹10,000 on Gango Das.
Legal Context: The Rarity of the Death Penalty
India’s judicial system follows the principle that the death penalty should only be given in exceptional cases.
In the 1980 landmark case Bachan Singh vs. State of Punjab, the Supreme Court ruled that the death sentence can only be imposed when the alternative punishment of life imprisonment appears inadequate due to the extreme gravity of the offense.
The “rarest of the rare” doctrine has since been the guiding principle for courts in determining whether a convict should be sentenced to death.
In this case, the court found that Gango Das’s brutal murder of his family members, including his own pregnant wife and two young children, qualified as one of those exceptional circumstances that warranted capital punishment.
The fact that the victims were defenseless and the crime was committed with extreme cruelty played a key role in the court’s decision.
The Role of the Prosecution: A Strong Case for Justice
Public prosecutor Angelina Barla played a crucial role in ensuring that the case against Gango Das was airtight.
She presented the court with a compelling narrative of events, backed by strong evidence and witness testimonies.
Barla argued that Gango Das’s actions were not only premeditated but also executed in a manner that reflected his complete disregard for human life. She stressed the importance of setting a legal precedent in such cases, where the sheer brutality of the crime demanded the harshest punishment available under the law.
Barla’s arguments were further supported by the medical evidence presented in court, which confirmed the severity of the injuries inflicted on the victims, particularly the children.
The court agreed with the prosecution that this case stood out in its sheer cruelty and disregard for familial bonds, a factor that contributed to the decision to impose the death penalty.
Community Impact: Shockwaves Across Koderma
The crime left the small community of Nawalshahi in shock. Residents who knew Gango Das and his family were horrified by the extreme violence that had taken place.
Many of them had gathered around the house on the night of the murders, trying to intervene and stop the killings, but were unsuccessful.
The death sentence has brought a sense of relief to the community, but the scars left by the crime will likely linger for years.
Local leaders and social workers have spoken about the lasting impact of the tragedy, particularly on the surviving family members and the children who were close to the victims. While justice has been served, the emotional toll on those who lived through the event is immeasurable.
The Final Judgment: Upholding Justice in Extreme Cases
The verdict in this case reflects the Indian judiciary’s commitment to delivering justice in the most severe of cases.
By sentencing Gango Das to death, the Koderma District Court has sent a clear message that such acts of violence will not be tolerated and that the legal system will ensure that justice is served.
In his closing statement, Judge Rakesh Chandra remarked on the gravity of the crime, stating, “This court cannot ignore the sheer brutality displayed by the accused, who mercilessly murdered his family, including young children. The law exists to protect society from individuals who commit such heinous crimes and in this case, the death penalty is not only justified but necessary.”
Conclusion: A Rare but Necessary Sentence
The death sentence handed down to Gango Das is a rare instance of capital punishment being awarded in India. It underscores the severity of his actions and the belief of the court that no lesser punishment would suffice in the face of such extreme violence.
While the judgment marks the end of a long legal process, it also serves as a somber reminder of the tragedy that took place on November 26, 2019 and the lives lost in the brutal attack.
This case will likely be remembered as one of the most shocking in the region’s recent history, and the judgment sets a precedent for how such cases are dealt with under the law.
The victims’ families and the local community can finally begin to heal, knowing that justice has been served.
