Bhubaneswar: A court in Odisha’s Balasore district Friday sentenced a man to death for killing his second wife in an acid attack.
The convict, Chandan Kumar Rana of Santaragadia village under Nilgiri police limits in Balasore district, had allegedly concealed his first marriage before marrying the victim, Banita Singh of Bhimpura village under Sahadevkhunta police station.
Special Public Prosecutor Sulalit Kar said Rana, who has two children from his first marriage, lured Banita into a relationship without disclosing his marital status. The two married at a temple in Nuagaon on December 19, 2022.
After learning about Rana’s earlier marriage, Banita lodged an FIR at Sahadevkhunta police station in January 2023, alleging cheating. Following police intervention, both families agreed that the couple would separate and stay at their respective parental homes.
When Banita’s family later arranged her marriage with another man, Rana allegedly became enraged. On February 20, 2023, he went to her house with a bottle of acid, argued with her and threatened her against proceeding with the marriage before throwing acid on her.
Banita sustained severe burn injuries. Her sister and two children present in the house were also injured in the attack. All were rushed to the district headquarters hospital in Balasore. As Banita’s condition deteriorated, she was referred to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, where she died on February 26, 2023, while undergoing treatment.
Based on the victim’s dying declaration, witness statements and other evidence, the court convicted Rana and awarded him the death penalty, terming the offence among the “rarest of rare” crimes.
