The Allahabad High Court on Thursday (11 September 2025) delivered its much-awaited verdict in a decades-old criminal appeal, affirming the conviction of two men from Deoria district for the brutal killing of Ramchandra Yadav in 1983. The case, which had stretched for over four decades, saw the court reject the defence's arguments of false implication and uphold the trial court's findings.
Background
The case dates back to 6 March 1983, when an FIR was lodged by Kishora Devi, wife of the deceased Ramchandra, at Gauri Bazar police station. She alleged that her husband was attacked by neighbours - Chauthi Yadav, Sri Ram Yadav, and others - after years of simmering enmity. According to her account, bombs were hurled at her husband and his cousin Dina Nath, after which Ramchandra was chased into a sugarcane field, dragged out, and killed with spears. His body was later discovered near Majhna Nala.
The Sessions Court in Deoria convicted the accused in 1985, sentencing them to life imprisonment under Section 302 IPC, along with additional terms for rioting and attempt to murder. One of the accused, Brijlal Yadav, died during the pendency of appeal, leaving the appeal alive only for Chauthi and Sri Ram.
Court's Observations
Justice Rajiv Gupta, delivering the verdict for the Division Bench, carefully went through the testimony of witnesses. The court placed particular weight on the statements of Dina Nath, who survived the bomb blast, and barber Parmanand, who was present at the scene.
''Injured witness testimony carries a special weight,'' the bench noted.
''Dina Nath's consistent account of bombs being hurled by the accused, followed by the fatal chase of Ramchandra, cannot be disbelieved merely due to minor contradictions.''
The court also took into account the testimonies of Ramchandra's wife and relatives. While acknowledging that rustic witnesses often give inconsistent details under lengthy cross-examination, the bench emphasized that the ''ring of truth'' in their statements was intact.
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Medical evidence too, despite some defence objections, was found broadly consistent with the prosecution's version. The judges clarified that medical reports cannot override reliable eye - witness accounts unless they completely rule out the possibility of events occurring as described.
The defence had argued that Ramchandra was a known dacoit, killed elsewhere by unknown persons, and that the case was fabricated. The court dismissed this line, observing that
''such claims remained unsubstantiated and did not weaken the prosecution’s direct evidence.''
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Decision
After weighing all evidence, the High Court upheld the life sentence awarded to Chauthi Yadav and Sri Ram Yadav.
The Judgment concluded,
''The prosecution has successfully established beyond reasonable doubt that the appellants, with a common object, caused the death of Ramchandra,''
The appeal, pending since 1985, thus stands dismissed. With this, a grim saga from rural Deoria-where a routine haircut turned into a bloody killing-has finally closed in the courtroom.
Case Title : Chauthi Yadav and Others vs. State
Case Number : Criminal Appeal No. 2142 of 1985
