Additional District and Sessions Judge-2 Muhammad Rejaul Islam handed down the verdict in a crowded courtroom. The court also fined them Tk 15,000 each, in default, to suffer one year more in jail.

The convicts are Shahidul Islam, Abdul Wahed, Layeb, Kutub Uddin, Nasir Uddin and Ladu of Balanagar village under Baghmara upazila.

According to the prosecution, the convicts dragged neighbour Abdur Rouf alias Babu out of his house and beat him mercilessly on May 8, 2000 over a trifling matter. He died at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital the next day.

His father Ayub Ali lodged a murder case with Baghmara Police Station against six people the same day. After investigation, police pressed charges against them. The court examined the witnesses and evidence during the trial.

Additional Public Prosecutor Nurul Islam appeared for the state while Advocates Nazrul Islam Khan, Hamidul Haque, Mojibur Rahman Chowdhury and Monsur Rahman for the accused.