“No forgiveness; punishment itself is *dharma* (duty/righteousness)”—hearing this from the judge, Muskan and Sahil broke down in tears. The verdict in the “Blue Drum Murder Case” has been delivered.

“No forgiveness; punishment itself is *dharma* (duty/righteousness)”—hearing this from the judge, Muskan and Sahil broke down in tears. The verdict in the “Blue Drum Murder Case” has been delivered.

In the high-profile “Blue Drum” murder case of Saurabh in Meerut, the court has sentenced Muskan Rastogi and Sahil Shukla to death, 591 days after the crime. Following the pronouncement of the verdict at 4:15 PM on Wednesday, the courtroom erupted in applause. Tears welled up in the eyes of Saurabh’s mother, who was present in the courtroom. Addressing the judge, she remarked, “Today, my son Saurabh’s soul must have finally found peace.” While delivering the sentence, the judge stated, “Punishment is, in itself, *dharma*. In the *Mahabharata*, too, the imposition of punishment is described as *dharma*—meaning, it is a righteous duty to punish an offender; to penalize acts of *adharma* (unrighteousness) is a form of *dharma*. Muskan and Sahil, both of you have committed the brutal murder of Saurabh; therefore, no plea for forgiveness will be accepted.”