INDIA. TWO CPI (MAIOST) REBELS SENTENCED TO DEATH

June 9, 2008: Two CPI (Maoist) rebels were sentenced to death by a fast track court in connection with the attack on a police station in Bihar's Nalanda district nearly three years ago in which two persons were killed and arms and ammunition looted.
Fast track court judge Birendra Singh found Surendra Manjhi and Saryu Manjhi guilty and awarded them death penalty.
The two were present in the court when the judgement was pronounced.
Heavily armed activists of the banned outfit had raided Chhabilapur police station on the intervening night of August 11-12, 2005 and set it ablaze. Over 450 rounds of fire were exchanged between the police and naxalites in which a constable and a person lodged in the lock-up were killed and three constables and a cook injured.
After the police contingent surrendered, the naxalites looted seven rifles, two carbines and 213 rounds of ammunition from them. The maoists had also set ablaze the newly constructed police station building nearby before retreating.
Of the 13 persons named accused in the case, seven were acquitted for want of evidence, while four others were being tried separately and two handed down death penalty. (Sources: PTI, 09/06/2008)