Five constables of the Kolkata police were sentenced to life imprisonment for murdering traffic sergeant Bapi Sen on December 31, 2002 because he prevented them from molesting a woman.

Also Read Kolkata bids adieu to Bapi Sen

The city sessions court judge, Basudev Majumdar sentenced the five constables - Sridam Bauri, Madhusudan Charkavarty, Pijush Goswami, Mujibur Rahman abd Shekhar Mitra.

Bapi Sen, a young traffic sergeant, had been severely assaulted by the five constables when he tried to save a woman from being molested during New Year's revelry on the night of December 31, 2002. Sen later succumbed to his injuries.

The five constables were awarded life imprisonment for their conviction under IPC Section 302 (murder) read with Section 34 (criminal act in furtherance of common intent).

They were also fined Rs 10,000 each under Section 354 (assault on woman with intent to outrage her modesty) read with Section 34. In case of failure to pay the fine, they would have to undergo six months rigorous imprisonment.

A total of 41 witnesses were produced by the prosecution in support of their case, which included witnesses and doctors, but the woman who Sen had saved never came forward to become a witness.