'Accused appear remorseless'

AMBALA: The five accused who have been awarded capital punishment in the Manoj-Babli honour killing case appear to lack remorse for their misdeeds. Those who have met the killers in jail explain that they don't regret the act for which they have been condemned to death.
‘‘They looked a little nervous on the day they were brought from Karnal jail to the condemned cells here on April 4.However, after few hours, even that anxiety disappeared. Their present behaviour shows that they they don't repent killing Manoj and Babli. Also, they don't seem afraid of the gallows,'' sources at central jail said. The accused are lodged in the prison's condemned cells.
The sources said the five, comprising Babli's brother Suresh, uncle Rajinder Kumar, maternal uncle Baru Ram and cousins Gurdev and Satish, were following a fixed routine. ‘‘When other undertrials, convicts or condemned prisoners of the jail are deep asleep, they get up early in the morning and use the washroom attached with their five foot by seven foot cell. Breakfast is served to all prisoners together,'' they said.
The accused are also said to be fond of milk and ‘lassi'. ‘‘They also take out some time to take a stroll and it's made sure that no two are out at the same time,'' the sources said.
Besides these five, there are four other condemned inmates in the cells. They are Sonia and her husband Sanjeev, who allegedly murdered former MLA Relu Ram Punia and seven of his family members. Sonia is Relu Ram Punia's daughter. Dharampal of Sonepat and Virender of Jind are also lodged in condemned cells.
Suresh, Rajinder, Baru Ram, Gurdev and Satish were awarded death sentence in Manoj-Babli killing by additional district and sessions judge, Karnal, Vani Gopal Sharma on March 30. Ganga Raj, a village strongman and Mandeep Singh, a driver, were sentenced to life term and seven years in prison, respectively. Ganga Raj and Mandeep Singh are lodged in Karnal jail.
The accused allegedly first kidnapped and then killed the young couple belonging to Karora village, Kaithal, in February, 2007 when they were returning from a court after recording their statements. Though the slain couple was being escorted by a police party, they were dragged out from the bus and whisked away. Later, their bodies were found. The couple belonged to same village and same gotra (sub-caste).