Mounesh Vishwakarma

Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal (EP)

Bantwal, Mar 7: In a show of humanity, the High Court has overturned a lower court sentence and ordered 81-year-old Aithappa Naik, a resident of Karopadi grama, to work without salary at a local Anganwadi for a year.

Naik, who belongs to a poor family, had assaulted his neighbor in 2008 over a land dispute. The Bantwal court had initially sentenced him to three days imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 10,000, but the complainant filed an appeal at the Mangaluru court, requesting an increased punishment. In 2014, the court sentenced Naik to two years imprisonment. Naik's advocate approached the High Court to question the verdict, requesting leniency due to Naik's age and his wife being alone at home.

As Naik had admitted his fault and expressed remorse, the High Court quashed the lower court sentence and instead ordered him to work at the local Anganwadi, where he has been cleaning and watering plants since February 20.