2 min readLucknowUpdated: Feb 18, 2026 05:29 AM IST
A local court on Tuesday sentenced 12 persons to life imprisonment in connection with a 27-year-old murder case stemming from a Shia-Sunni violence in Azamgarh.
The accused, who had earlier been out on bail, were taken into custody on Friday after being held guilty on charges including rioting, murder, and destruction of evidence.
“The court on Tuesday sentenced all 12 persons, above 55 years of age and belonging to the Sunni community, to imprisonment for life. The court has also imposed a fine of Rs 66,500 on each of them. They were subsequently sent back to jail,” Additional District Government Counsel, Azamgarh, Deepak Mishra said.
According to the prosecution, the case dates back to April 28, 1999, when a missing person complaint was filed for 57-year-old Ali Akbar, belonging to the Shia community, at the Mubarakpur police station. It was alleged that he had gone for a juloos (religious procession) and had not returned home. Two days later, the police recovered his headless body in a pond. The body was subsequently identified by the deceased’s family.
During the initial investigation, the police learnt that on April 27, a clash had broken out between members of the Shia and Sunni communities, following which Ali Akbar went missing. The altercation reportedly occurred when members of the Shia community were returning home after taking part in the procession.
The probe revealed that the accused allegedly caught the victim while he was returning from the procession, killed him, and dumped his headless body in a pond. Tension gripped the area following the murder as more incidents of violence were reported.
Police subsequently arrested 16 persons in connection with the murder, among which four died during the trial.
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Meanwhile, defence counsel Swami Nath Yadav said that they would file an appeal against the judgment in the high court. Except for three accused, the remaining persons belong to different families and had been out on bail for a considerable period, he said, adding that the head of the deceased has not been recovered till date.
