The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the death sentence imposed on Holiram Bordoloi for killing three people in a village near Nayagaon in Assam.
Holiram had carried out the execution in broadlight in front of the villagers in an effort to protect his supremacy in the village.
Terming this as a cold-blooded murder, the SC said it did not find 'any mitigating circumstance to refrain from imposing the death penalty on him'.
On November 26, 1996, Holiram with 17 others attacked the hut of Narayan Bordoloi, who was staying with his brother, wife and two sons. When Narayan locked the hut from inside, Holiram and his men set the hut on fire.
Narayan's brother and elder son escaped through a hole in the wall. However, Holiram and his men pushed the boy back into the fire.
Both Narayan and his son were charred to death while his wife sustained serious burn injuries.
Holiram did not stop at this. He later dragged another brother of Narayan, who was staying near by, and cut him into pieces in front of the villagers.
The trial court convicted Holiram after listening to the prosecution and eyewitnesses.
The Guwahati High Court upheld the conviction and sentence imposed by trial court.
Upholding the High Court order, an Apex court Bench comprising Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice B N Srikrishna said the evidence in the case proves beyond reasonable doubt the actual involvement of Holiram in the incident.
Justice Balakrishnana, writing the judgement for the Bench, said the aggravating circumstances against Holiram included that three persons were murdered without any provocation from the victim's side.
"The crime was committed in the most barbaric manner to deter others from challenging the supremacy of Holiram in the village," it said.
