A Jhargram court on Wednesday sentenced 45 persons to life imprisonment for murdering six CPM workers in 1993.

“Six persons from Diyashi village under Belpahari police station were killed in 1993. Police had filed a chargesheet against 103 persons, of whom 45 were found guilty after prolonged legal proceedings. The court on Wednesday sentenced all the guilty to life imprisonment," said Prashanta Roy, the assistant public prosecutor in the case.

A source said that a popular district official was killed in the early 1990s, with CPM-backed goons suspected to be behind his murder. In retaliation, the six CPM workers were killed.

A senior police officer said Jhargram police took up the 32-year-old murder case once again earlier this year as part of a special initiative. The Jhargram court framed charges against 45 people on July 17. On November 10, 45 persons were found guilty.