Karimnagar Fifth Additional Sessions Judge D Vasudeva Rao convicted Soulla Rajesham (36) and Munimanda Durgaiah (28), residents of Polaram village under Maha Mutharam village in the district, for the murder of fellow villager Velpula Sammaiah (80).
According to the prosecution, Velpula had been fishing in a pond adjacent to the village for over 30 years.
On June 21, 2011, as Sammaiah spread the net in the pond, Rajesham and Durgaiah came there and warned him against fishing, saying they had taken the pond on lease for fishing.
Enraged with this, they mercilessly beat Sammaiah with a stick and also hit him with a stone, killing him on the spot.
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The duo then threw the body in the pond and fled.
On a complaint by Sammaiah's son Velpula Arjaiah, the police registered a case and arrested them.
Judge Vasudeva Rao, after examining 18 witnesses, sentenced Rajesham and Durgaiah to undergo life imprisonment under section 302 (murder) of IPC and also to pay a fine of Rs 500 each.