RANGI LAL Vs. STATE OF H.P.

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Gujja, deceased, was married to Rangi Lal, accused herein, about 3 or 4 years prior to her homicidal death. A daughter was born out of the wedlock. Rangi Lai was working in a slate quary at village Shiva Rodana. This quarry is located at a distance of about 1 or 2 kms. from the house of Rangi Lai in village Jijla. Sunder Singh (PW 1) is father of deceased Gujja Devi.

(2.) On the morning of January 8, 1997, dead body of Gujja Devi was found lying in the field at a distance of about 200 feet from the house of accused Rangi Lai. The dead body was almost unidentifiable. The flesh from the face of the deceased had been eaten away by animal(s). A blood stained-'khind' (Ext. M 4) was also found lying outside the house of accused. Accused Rangi Lai was found missing from his house when body of Gujja Devi was discoviered. Sunder Singh father of deceased Gujja Devi (PW 1) was informed about the incident. Sunder. Singh identified the dead body to be that of his daughter Gujja Devi from the clothes and the remaining part of the body. Shri Pati Ram (DW 1), father of the accused, sent for his son Mohi Ram (PW 7). Several persons from the village including Shri Jangi Ram (PW 5), UP-Pradhan of the Panchayat collected at the spot. On the advice of Shri Jangi Ram it was decided to inform the Police. Mohi Ram (PW 7) accompanied by Jangi Ram-Up Pradhan i of the Panchayat and Shuppa Ram, Member of the Panchayat, came to Police Station, Paonta Sahib, and lodged First Information Report in terms of Ext. P14. The FIR was recorded by S.H.O. Inspector O.P. Yadav (PW 15).

(3.) Inspector O.P. Yadav came to spot and sent dead body of Gujja Devi for post-mortem after preparation of Inquest Report. Site plan of the place of occurrence (Ext. P22) was prepared. Blood stained earth was taken from the field where dead body was lying. Blood stained 'khind' (Ext. M4), cap (Ext. M5) and stone (Ext. M6) lying between the house of the accused and the place where dead body was found, were also taken into possession. Some gun pellets were also recovered from the kitchen of the accused. Post-mortem on v. the dead body was conducted by a team of Doctors consisting of Dr. Sanjiv Sehgal (PW 9) and Dr. Suresh Pandey on January 9, 1997 at 4.15 p.m. The Doctors found the following injuries on the dead body: