In a 1st in AP, man sentenced to community service

Kanigiri(Prakasam District): In a groundbreaking decision, the judicial magistrate of the First Class in Kanigiri, K Bharath Chandra, pronounced first community service sentence in the state under the newly-implemented Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Bharatiya Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).

The convicted individual, Pola Ankaiah, 28, of Daruvu Bazar, Kanigiri, has been found guilty of theft and mischief. He was convicted for theft of three brass urns worth Rs 3,000 from the Ayyappa Swamy temple and damaging CCTV equipment on October 13, 2024,

For the mischief charge under Section 324(3) of the BNS, Ankaiah received 18 days of simple imprisonment and a fine of Rs 200. For the theft under Section 303(2) of BNS, he has been ordered to perform community service from November 2 to December 31, 2024, cleaning and sweeping Kanigiri’s main streets daily from 6 am to 9 am under the municipal commissioner’s supervision.

This innovative sentencing aims to balance rehabilitation with accountability while considering the convict’s family circumstances. The judge provided specific directives for the convict, police, and municipal authorities to ensure compliance that the convict must submit a bond of undertaking and report to the court daily by 5 pm.

The municipal commissioner is responsible for daily attendance reports and providing necessary cleaning tools. Kanigiri police are instructed to perform random compliance checks.