Berhampur: A local court in Ganjam district has sentenced two persons to life imprisonment after convicting them in a 2024-murder case of a villager registered at Gopalpur police station.
The convicts were identified as Pradeep Das (28), and Narayan Das (40) of Teragounj village. District and Sessions Judge Ashant Kumar Das also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on each of them Tuesday.
The convicts will have to undergo an additional one-year rigorous imprisonment in case of failing to pay the fine. Cadre Public Prosecutor Biswajit Baral said that the incident took place March 13, 2024, when a villager Muna Das had gone to a liquor shop just outside the village. There he found the convict Pradeep engaged in an argument with one Bhikari Das. When Muna intervened and asked him not to quarrel, Pradeep allegedly got enraged and attacked him with an iron rod lying nearby, striking him on the head.
Pradeep’s associate Narayan Das also joined the assault and attacked Muna. When Bhikari Das protested, the accused persons allegedly assaulted him as well. The injured persons were rescued and admitted to MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur for treatment.
As Muna’s condition deteriorated, he was shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, where he later succumbed during treatment. Following a complaint, police registered a case and arrested both the accused before producing them in the court.
During the trial, the court examined statements of 16 witnesses. Relying on eyewitness accounts, including those of injured witnesses, and the evidence submitted in the chargesheet, the court convicted both accused and awarded them life imprisonment.
