A local court in Ballia has sentenced a man to life imprisonment for the murder of his stepmother, stemming from a land dispute. This information was confirmed by a senior police official on Friday.

According to Superintendent of Police Omveer Singh, the Additional Sessions Judge Gyan Prakash Tiwari delivered the verdict on Thursday after hearing arguments from both sides. The convicted individual, Dharmveer Chaurasiya, also known as Pankaj, received a life sentence along with a fine of ₹10,000.

The court previously acquitted the victim Tara Devi's husband, Shri Bhagwan Chaurasiya, of the murder charges due to lack of evidence. The prosecution stated that Tara Devi, aged 45, was killed on the morning of October 3, 2020, in the Rasra police station area, where she suffered a fatal blow to the neck from a sharp weapon.

A case was registered against both Tara's husband and her stepson, Dharmveer Chaurasiya, under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code. Following the investigation, the police filed charges against both suspects in court.

As per police reports, Pankaj had been pressuring his stepmother Tara Devi to sell land that was purchased in her name for his sister's wedding. This disagreement over the land sale ultimately led to the tragic murder of Tara Devi.