The judgment was delivered by the Court of the Sixth Additional Sessions Judge, which held the accused guilty of murder after examining eyewitness testimony, forensic evidence and other material presented during the trial.

The case dates back to January 28, 2024, when Chakradhar Nagar police received information that a man had been found dead near the main road in Navapali village. The victim, identified as Vishal Singh Thakur, had suffered multiple fatal injuries to his head and neck caused by a sharp-edged weapon.

Police reached the spot, registered a case and began an investigation. During the preliminary inquiry, investigators inspected the crime scene, collected physical evidence and recorded statements from eyewitnesses.

According to the prosecution, Vishal Singh Thakur had been supervising land levelling and bush-clearing work on a disputed piece of land when an argument broke out with Harilal Khadia over the filling of soil on the property.

The dispute allegedly escalated, following which the accused attacked Vishal repeatedly with an axe, inflicting severe injuries to his head and neck. The victim died at the scene.

Investigating officers seized several articles from the crime scene, including the victim's motorcycle, blood-stained cap, spectacles, footwear and soil samples. These materials were later sent for forensic examination as part of the investigation.

Police arrested Harilal Khadia on January 29, 2024. During interrogation, the accused allegedly admitted to committing the crime. Based on his disclosure, investigators recovered the axe believed to have been used in the attack along with blood-stained clothing.

The recovered articles were forwarded to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), whose findings were presented during the trial as supporting evidence.

During court proceedings, Additional Public Prosecutor Tanmay Banerjee represented the prosecution, while the investigation was led by Inspector Prashant Rao Aher. The prosecution examined 20 witnesses and relied on documentary, forensic and scientific evidence to establish the sequence of events.

After evaluating the evidence and hearing arguments from both sides, the court concluded that the prosecution had proved the charges beyond reasonable doubt.

The court convicted Harilal Khadia under the relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code for murder and sentenced him to life imprisonment. It also imposed a fine of ₹100.

In addition to the sentence, the court recommended that the victim's family receive ₹1 lakh as compensation under the Chhattisgarh Government's Victim Compensation Scheme, recognising the impact of the crime on the deceased's dependants.

The verdict brings the trial to a close more than two years after the fatal incident and reinforces the importance of forensic evidence and eyewitness testimony in securing convictions in serious criminal cases.