Man from Odisha's Jajpur gets life in jail for human sacrifice

JAJPUR: A court in Jajpur district on Tuesday awarded life imprisonment to a man for killing a minor boy in a case of human sacrifice seven years back. The Additional District and Sessions Court convicted Deepak Barik for murder and sentenced him to life in prison. A fine of Rs 35,000 was also imposed on Barik. Failure to pay the fine will result in an additional jail term of six months.

On February 26 2015, Deepak had killed one Abhisek Nayak, a Class III student of Rajendrapur village within Kuakhia police limits. Additional public prosecutor Rajendra Prasad Nayak said a community feast was organised at Rajendrapur which was attended by all villagers including Abhisek, his family members and Deepak. 

After the feast, Abhisek and Deepak could not be found. The villagers had last seen them serving food to people at the feast. When Abhisek did not return home in the evening, his family members launched a frantic search for him. On being informed, Kuakhia police reached the village and searched for the boy but in vain.

Next morning, Abhisek's body was found floating in a pond near the temple on the outskirts of the village. There was a garland around his neck and vermilion mark on forehead.

Basing on the allegation of Abhisek's parents that their son was murdered as part of human sacrifice ritual, police raided Deepak’s house and recovered human bones and materials related to witchcraft. Deepak was later arrested. The court announced its verdict on the basis of the testimony of 24 witnesses. 

Life imprisonment for killing minor  

BARIPADA: Additional District Judge (ADJ) of Rairangpur Deepak Kumar on Tuesday sentenced one Saroj Mahakud of Jamda to life imprisonment for killing a minor girl for refusing to work in his field. The incident took place on June 6 2020.

The deceased girl was identified as 12-year-old Sasmita Mahakud. Public prosecutor Pankaj Kumar Das said when the girl refused to dig soil in his land, Pankaj became furious and hit her head with a spade. The minor sustained critical injury and was rushed to the hospital where is succumbed on June 8.

Saroj was arrested on the basis of the complaint lodged by the girl’s father.