Two awarded life imprisonment for railway employee’s murder in Chandigarh

The Sessions Court in Panchkula has sentenced Parkash Singh Bisht and Rohit alias Bhumra to life imprisonment for the murder of a railway employee, Sandeep, in Chandigarh in June 2021.

Both accused were held guilty under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code and fined Rs 25,000 each. In case of default, they will undergo one year’s simple imprisonment. The court directed 50 per cent fine be given to Sandeep’s father, Dayal Chand, under Section 357 CrPC (now Section 395 BNSS).

The order was delivered by Sessions Judge Ved Parkash Sirohi, who rejected the defence’s plea for leniency on account of the convicts’ young age and family responsibilities.

Public Prosecutor Akash Tanwar argued for a strict sentence, stressing the gravity of the crime. The court observed that the convicts had stripped the deceased of his clothes and committed a heinous murder, leaving no room for mercy.

According to the prosecution, Sandeep, a railway technician transferred from Ambala Cantt to Chandigarh, went missing on 15 June 2021 after dinner. The next morning, his father, Dayal Chand, discovered his body lying naked near a liquor vend in Village Daria, Chandigarh, with severe injuries to the head and face.

The investigation, led by Inspector Raj Kumar of GRP Chandigarh, revealed that Sandeep had been last seen in the company of the accused near Hotel Royal Plaza. CCTV footage, disclosure statements, and forensic reports established their role. On June 24, 2021, both men were arrested, leading to the recovery of a blood-stained gandasi and a wooden block with iron nails, which were confirmed to be the weapons of offence. Forensic examination also detected human blood on their clothes.

A post-mortem confirmed that Sandeep died of multiple injuries inflicted by sharp and blunt weapons. After a trial spanning four years, the court on September 12, 2025, convicted both accused and pronounced the sentence.