Hingoli Shiv Sena leader, 7 others get life term for murder

A local court on Monday awarded life sentence to Hingoli district Shiv Sena chief and seven others, including his brother - a sitting Municipal Councillor - in a 2007 murder case.

District judge MV Yewatikar found the Sena leader Santosh Bangar, his councillor-brother Shriram and six others guilty of murdering one Vitthalappa Tukaramappa Torkar (75), government pleaders Dyaneshwar Teknur and SN Doifode said.

A resident of Bhirada village in the central Maharashtra district, Torkar was fatally attacked by a group of persons on February 23, 2007 over a land dispute, added Teknur and Doifode. Three other accused were acquitted due to insufficient evidence, the two government pleaders said.