A lower court on Tuesday awarded rigorous life imprisonment to private tutor Suresh Kumar, 31, for killing his former student Rishu Tiwari, 16, on August 30, 2017, when she did not respond to his romantic overtures.

The court of additional district and sessions judge III Rajiv Kumar Sinha while pronouncing the judgment in the presence of Suresh also awarded 10 years of rigorous imprisonment for attempting to kill Rishu’s younger brother Ravi, then aged 9.

Suresh was convicted under sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 302 (murder), 354 (assault or criminal force to women), and 307 (attempt to murder).

The Rishu murder had shocked the coal town for its brutality.

Suresh had taught Rishu six years before the incident when she was a child. But all through the years, he had stalked the girl.

Around 3.15am on that fateful night of August 30, 2017, Suresh scaled the boundary wall of Rishu’s home at Ghurnijoria in Matkuria, locked the room of her transporter father Arvind Kumar Tiwari to prevent his coming out and entered the room where Rishu was sleeping. He stabbed her with a dagger in her abdomen and neck. She died soon.

Suresh also attacked Ravi, her younger brother, who after waking up in the commotion had rushed to his sister’s room.

But Ravi survived the attack as Suresh was in a hurry to flee the spot. Ravi’s cries woke up the parents who found themselves locked in. Their screams alerted the neighbours. Though it was too late to save Rishu, Ravi was saved.

Public prosecutor B.D. Pandey told media after the judgment: “The court awarded rigorous life imprisonment to the psycho killer till the rest of his life, meaning he would have to remain in prison till death.”