A sessions court here today sentenced five persons to life imprisonment for murdering a youth in a drunken brawl at a liquor shop in Kavundampalayam in the city four years ago.

The prosecution case was that a gang of seven entered into an argument with three others in the government-run liquor outlet on October 7, 2012.

In a fit of anger, the gang members stabbed two persons, killing one Perumal on the spot and injuring another person.

The case was on in the III Additional Sessions court; in the judgement delivered this evening, Nallendra, Vijayakumar, Veerakaleeshwara, Rajan and Santhoshkumar were handed life sentences for murder, while two others, Mani and Senthil, were acquitted.