The district and session judge Kumkum Rani’s court sentenced domestic help Santosh Arya to life imprisonment and Rs 10,000 penalty as fine for the murder of Uma Kansal in Haldwani. He was also handed out seven years and Rs 5,000 penalty for attacking Reena, who also used to work as a domestic help in the same household.
According to the prosecution, on September 2, 2016, Uma Kansal, the wife of a Haldwani-based businessman Pankaj Kansal was brutally murdered by their domestic help Santosh Arya. While Pankaj Kansal and his son had gone to their shop on that day, Uma was at home with the two domestic helps. At about 10:30 AM Reena telephoned Kansal to inform him that she had been attacked by Arya.
When he returned home, he saw his wife lying soaked in blood while Reena was also injured and hiding in a bathroom.
Arya had run away from the site. Uma Kansal died during treatment. The police lodged a case and two days later, managed to arrest the main accused. The case was taken up for hearing in the court of the district and sessions judge here on Monday.
The court heard the witnesses, arguments and saw the charge-sheet and other documents submitted in the case and found Arya guilty in Uma Kansal murder case.