AIZAWL, Nov 9 - A court here on Monday sentenced a 42-year-old man to life in prison till death after finding him guilty of murdering five members of a family in Aizawl in 2015.
Aizawl district Additional District and Sessions Judge Dr HTC Lalrinchhana had on November 3 convicted Laltlanchhuaha, a resident of Republic Veng neighbourhood in Aizawl, in the murder case as well as for trespassing on a house to commit the offence, under Section 449 of the IPC and attempt to murder, under Section 307 of the IPC.
The convict was sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 4 lakh under Sections 449 and 307 of the IPC, and an additional four years of rigorous imprisonment if he is unable to pay the fine.
The court then sentenced him to life imprisonment in the five murder cases, and a fine of Rs 2 lakh in each case, which comes to Rs 10 lakh, and an additional 10 years (two years each) if he is unable to pay the fine.
�After he completes 34 years in jail (20 plus 14 years, unless he is able to pay the Rs 14 lakh fine), his life imprisonment will begin,� the sentence said. The remand period of the convict, that is five years, will be considered as imprisonment, the order said.
The court also directed the Aizawl district legal services authority to pay a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each to the next of kin of each victim.
On the night of January 9, 2015, Laltlanchhuaha, then aged 37, broke into the house of Sangliansiama in his own neighbourhood and hacked the 57-year-old man to death with a large knife. He went on to kill Sangliansiama�s 57-year-old wife Khualthangi, their adopted son Isaac Lalrinnunga (6), Sangliansiama�s sister Vanlalchhungi (54), and his nephew Samuel Lalrinchhana (14), who was staying with them. Sangliansiama�s nephew (Vanlalchhungi�s son) Lalhriatpuia (28), who was not at home at the time of the incident, was spared. Though the murderer attempted to kill Lalzepuii, a housemaid living in the same house, she hid inside a toilet and locked the door from inside before she was rescued by people who came later.
The key witness said the killer walked into the house with a knife and asked Sangliansiama for money. After Sangliansiama gave him Rs 1,000, he asked for more. As Sangliansiama said he did not have any money left, the man suddenly attacked him with the knife.