Odisha: Two get lifer in murder case over land dispute

BARIPADA: A 60-year-old man and his son-in-law were on Saturday sentenced to life imprisonment for killing another elderly couple over some previous enmity by the additional sessions judge (1st class), Baripada Suresh Chandra Pradhan.

The convicts Kisun Marandi (60) and his son-in-law Mangal Baskey (30) belong to Harinakhunta Kesura village within Baisinga police limits and Khairabani within Rashgovindpur police limits respectively. The wife of Kisun, Dangi Marandi (50) was however, acquitted due to lack of evidence. The victim, also by the same name Kisun Marandi (70) and his wife Rukmani of the same village were related to the convicts’ family but not having cordial relations due to some land dispute.

Additional public prosecutor KC Das said the incident took place on July 31, 2014, when Kisun Marandi, his wife Dangi and son-in-law Mangal were working in their field. They had kept all paddy saplings on the land of Kisun and Rukmani seeing which the couple rushed to the field and asked them not to use their land. This irked the convicts so much that they went to their houses and brought bows, arrows and an axe and attacked Kisun and Rukmani, killing them on the spot.

After Kuni Marandi, granddaughter of the deceased, informed Baisinga police, the bodies were seized and the three members of the other family were arrested. A case was registered under section 302, 201 and 34 of the IPC against the trio.

Based on the statements of 16 witnesses and evidence, the court awarded Kisun and his son-in-law life imprisonment and fined each Rs  10,000, acquitting Dangi due to lack of evidence against her.