Copyright thehindu
The Fifth Additional District Court in Coimbatore on Monday sentenced five persons to double life imprisonment for murdering two persons, in a dispute over four kg of meat in Coimbatore ten years ago. Judge P.K. Sivakumar awarded the punishment to Sadiq Ali, 40, of Lorry Pettai at South Ukkadam, Askar Ali, 40, and his brother Mansoor Ali, 32, of Thirumal Street, Jahir Hussain, 50, of SH Road at Ukkadam, and J. Azarudheen, 33, of Third Cross at South Ukkadam. The court also imposed a fine of ₹4 lakh each on them. The court found the five persons guilty for murdering M. Moideen Basha, 34, who ran a beef stall at Thirumal Street near Marakadai, and his friend M. Habib Mohammed, 23, a medial representative from of NH Road near Marakadai, on October 31, 2015. The police said Sadiq Ali, a relative of Basha, had been running a beef stall at Ukkadam. He visited Basha’s beef stall around 11 a.m. on October 31, 2015 and took four kg of liver along with some pieces of bones when the latter had gone out, entrusting the business to one Asif. Basha later went to Sadiq Ali’s shop along with Asif and a friend and questioned him for taking away the meat from his stall without his consent. Sadiq Ali threatened Basha to finish him for having come to his shop for a quarrel for a small quantity of meat, the police said. Askar Ali contacted Basha around 7.30 p.m. in the day and requested him to come to Oppanakara Street – Edayar Street junction for a reconciliation. Basha, his brother-in-law Mohammed Jahir, Habib, friends Akthar, Abbas, Mazdoor and Sherif went to the place around 9.40 p.m., where Sadiq Ali was present with his brother Sheik Ali, Askar Ali, Mansoor Ali, Jahir Hussain and Azarudheen. According to the police, Sadiq Ali and Sheik Ali carried knives with them. They stabbed Basha and Habib while the four others held them firm. Basha died while being rushed to the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital and Habib died in a private hospital early on November 1, 2015. The police said that Sheik Ali died during the trial of the case.
