Bhawanipatna: A local court Thursday sentenced a man to life imprisonment for the 2024 murder of an acquaintance following a financial dispute at Paralasingha village under Kesinga police limits in Kalahandi district. District and Sessions Judge Anup Ranjan Pattnaik found Jitu Gouda guilty of murdering Biranchi Naik.
In addition to the life sentence, the court imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on the convict. Failure to pay the fine will result in an additional six months of imprisonment, the judge ordered. The conviction was based on the testimonies of 12 witnesses and 22 pieces of evidence presented by the prosecution, Public Prosecutor Manoj Kumar Meher said. Meher said Naik left his home May 12, 2024, to meet Gouda but never returned.
His body was found the following day near Mashanibandh under Narla police limits. During the investigation, police detained Gouda on suspicion of involvement. Authorities said he later confessed and admitted that he tied Naik’s hands and feet before slitting his throat with a knife.
Police said the murder was due to a dispute over money. Gouda allegedly told investigators that he had earlier paid Naik Rs 10,000 for a promised job.
The conflict escalated when Naik allegedly demanded an additional Rs 5,000, leading to the fatal attack by Gouda.
