Bihar tops in sending criminals to gallows

Fatal justice

According to official figures, compiled by the state crime record bureau, a total of 124 people have been awarded life sentence in Bihar since January 2006. Besides, 8,381 have been sentenced to life-term. And 2,239 convicts have been sentenced to prison for above 10 years.

Interestingly, in April 2010 itself, 19 people were given death sentence in cases of culpable homicide. The figures assume significance as this has happened in a State which, till 2005, was one of the most lawless states in India.

“Bihar is now perhaps the only state in the country where 124 people have been awarded death sentence by the fast track courts through speedy trial for various kinds of crime in the last 52 months,” said a senior police official, who did not wish to be identified.

The fast track courts, which were set up after the Nitish regime stormed to power has awarded 29 people death sentence and  693 life-term in the last four months.

Bihar Director-General of Police Neelmani said convictions through speedy trials have created fear in the minds of anti-social elements. “This is one reason why the crime graph has come down and law and order situation improved in Bihar,” he added.
To maintain the pace of convictions, the police have appointed a DSP-rank officer in the districts to keep a tab on the development in speedy trial cases.

The DSPs concerned have been asked to ensure that prosecution witness(es) deposed in trial courts on the scheduled dates. To buttress his point, Neelmani cited the example of a case of rape of a Japanese tourist in Gaya in April in which chargesheet was filed against the accused in record time and the case put for speedy trial.
DH News Service