INDIA: SERVANT TO BE HANGED FOR BURNING FIVE PEOPLE ALIVE

Ajay Pal, a domestic servant and resident of West Bengal, who killed five members of a Ranchi official's family four years ago was sentenced to be hanged on September 27 by the Jharkhand High Court in India. Pal was reportedly unhappy with the behaviour of his employer's wife, who used to scold him over trivial issues. On June 2, 2003, Pal killed the five who were in the house - Dhirendra's wife, his son Harshit, niece Anmol, nephew Ayan Kumar and another domestic help Kaleshwar Mahto. He first mixed poison with their meal and burnt them alive by sprinkling petrol in the house. On August 28, Jharkhand High Court upheld the April 2007 decision of the special CBI court judgement to award Ajay the death sentence. The CBI court fixed the hanging date as the accused had neither appealed to the Supreme Court or sought clemency from the governor and president.