Daijiworld Media Network - Patna
Patna, Feb 12: A district court in Begusarai on Thursday sentenced Vikas Kumar alias Vikas Singh to death for the 2019 triple murder in Machha village under the Singhaul police station limits.
The verdict was delivered by District and Sessions Judge-III Brajesh Kumar Singh through video conferencing, as the convict is currently lodged in Beur Jail in Patna. Court officials said this marks the first time a death sentence has been pronounced via video conferencing in Begusarai district.
According to the prosecution, the murders were the result of a prolonged family dispute over four acres of ancestral land. The accused had earlier been convicted in 2012 for allegedly killing his uncle, Arun Singh, in connection with the same property dispute and is serving a life sentence in that case. Another case concerning the alleged murder of his aunt, Munni Devi, in 2017 is still pending before the court.
The prosecution stated that Kunal Singh, the accused’s brother, was a key witness in the earlier cases. It was alleged that Vikas Singh had repeatedly pressured family members not to testify against him and, when they refused, plotted to eliminate them.
On the night of October 27, 2019, at around 10 p.m., the accused allegedly entered the family home and shot dead his brother Kunal Singh, sister-in-law Kanchan Devi, and 17-year-old niece Sonam Kumari. While escaping, he reportedly confronted his nephew Shivam Kumar and fired at him after pointing a pistol at his chest. The shot missed, and Shivam survived. Upon entering the house, Shivam found his parents and sister dead.
The case was prosecuted by Additional Public Prosecutor Ram Prakash Yadav. During the trial, multiple witnesses, including eyewitness Shivam Kumar, medical professionals, and the investigating officer, testified before the court.
Based on eyewitness accounts, medical reports, and investigative evidence, the court found the accused guilty and imposed the death penalty. The ruling has attracted significant attention in the district due to the severity of the crime and the rare mode of sentencing.