An Odisha court on Thursday convicted 14 people in a 15-year-old murder case, granting life imprisonment to them. On March 12, 2009, on the day of Holi, victim Siba Nagabansa was beaten up by 16 people at his residence in Ghasi Sahi of Paralakhemundi due to previous enmity. Siba later succumbed to his injuries.
The proceedings continued for years before all 16 accused were convicted on Thursday. However, two of them had already died and hence Additional District Judge (ADJ) Pradeep Kumar Samal sentenced life imprisonment to 14 convicts.
Accused attacked deceased while he was asleep
Speaking over the sentence, public prosecutor Brundaban Nayak said while two accused persons have already died, the 14 others were sentenced to life imprisonment. He added that the court also slapped a fine of Rs 10,000 each on the accused.
Providing details of the crime, Nayak said that the accused had barged into the house of Samal and attacked him while he was in a deep sleep after playing Holi. Six days later, he died while undergoing treatment at a hospital.
The police lodged an FIR against the accused on the same day and they were later arrested. On August 9, 2010, the police filed a chargesheet accusing the convictes. The accused were on bail.
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