Sambalpur: A District and Sessions Court in Sambalpur Thursday sentenced seven persons to life imprisonment in connection with the 2021 murder of a man in Gulamal village under Katarbaga police limits in this district over a property dispute.
The victim was identified as Prakash Pradhan, 32, of Pradhanpali village under Katarabaga police limits. District and Sessions Judge Pragyan Panigrahi delivered the verdict after examining testimonies of 23 witnesses and key documentary evidence.
The convicts were identified as Ashok Kumar Pradhan, Bhojaraj Pradhan, Rukman Pradhan alias Rohit, Gajaraj Pradhan, Bhishmadev Pradhan, Ranjit alias Dushmant Bhoi and Bhishmajit Bhoi of Pradhanpali village under Katarbaga police limits. The court convicted them under Section 302 of the IPC and imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on each of the accused. In default, they will have to undergo an additional two months jail term. The court also sentenced the convicts to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment under Section 307 and two years under Section 148 of the IPC.
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Another accused, Biranchi Biswal, was acquitted due to lack of evidence. Government counsel Subhash Chandra Mohanty conducted the prosecution. According to the prosecution, the incident occurred September 16, 2021 around 8pm, when Prakash Pradhan and his friend Ajay Barik were returning from a market after purchasing items for Vishwakarma Puja.
The seven accused, acting as per a premeditated plan, attacked them with iron rods, sharp weapons and axes, leaving both critically injured. Locals rushed them to VSS Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR), where doctors declared Pradhan dead.
Police later recovered the body and sent it for a post-mortem. Based on a complaint filed by the deceased’s brother Prashant, police registered a case (165/21) under multiple sections of IPC and arrested the accused persons. Following the verdict, the victim’s elder brother, Pramod Kumar Pradhan, expressed satisfaction, saying that although his brother cannot be brought back, the judgment has delivered justice to the family.
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