Berhampur: The district and sessions court, Ganjam, on Monday sentenced five persons to life imprisonment for the murder of a 35-year-old man in 2010 in Sriram Nagar under Bada Bazar police limits.
Judge Rupashree Choudhury pronounced the verdict after examining 24 witnesses and reviewing related documents. The convicted persons are Kilia Sethi, Sanjay Pradhan, Sania Rout, Krushna Chandra Patra, and Pinku Patra, all residents of Sriram Nagar and aged between 35 and 45 years.
According to public prosecutor Trilochan Parida, the convicts were found guilty of murdering Dhira Samal on July 22, 2010. Three other accused — Mangulu Behera, Santosh Patra, and Rinku Patra — were acquitted due to insufficient evidence.
The incident, which stemmed from previous enmity, occurred when the accused arrived on motorcycles and attacked Samal with sharp weapons near a tea stall in Sriram Nagar. They also hurled several bombs at the victim. Though Samal was rushed to MKCG Medical College and Hospital, he succumbed to his injuries.
Following the incident, police arrested eight suspects from various locations. The five convicted individuals were out on bail when the final verdict was announced.