Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, Feb 25: A sessions court here on Tuesday sentenced a horse handler to two years’ rigorous imprisonment in connection with the tragic death of a six-year-old girl during a joyride in South Mumbai in 2017.

The victim, Janhavi Mistry, daughter of Mahendra Mistry, CEO of a private firm, had fallen from a horse while on a recreational ride at a park and later succumbed to severe injuries in hospital.

Sessions Judge Avinash Kulkarni convicted the accused, Sohan Jaiswal, under Section 304-II (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Indian Penal Code. The detailed order was not immediately available.

According to the prosecution, the incident occurred when the child was riding the horse during a visit to the park. She was allegedly thrown off and fell between the animal’s legs, sustaining grievous injuries.

Public Prosecutor Anand Sukhdeve examined six witnesses during the trial, including the girl’s parents. The prosecution argued that Jaiswal did not possess a valid licence to conduct horse rides and had failed to provide basic safety gear to the child at the time of the incident.

The defence contended that the accident was caused due to the poor condition of the road, citing potholes and cracks that allegedly caused the horse to stumble. It further argued that a horse cannot be entirely controlled by humans.

However, after considering the evidence and arguments, the court held the accused guilty and awarded the sentence.