Rayagada: The Rayagada Additional District and Sessions Court has sentenced three men to rigorous life imprisonment for the brutal murder of a villager in Kashipur block last year.
The convicts—Ashok Gouda, Bhagirathi Gouda, and Bikram Gouda—were also fined ₹5,000 each by the court. In case of non-payment, they will serve an additional six months of rigorous imprisonment.
Delivering the verdict, Additional District Judge Alpana Swain held the trio guilty under Sections 302/34 of the IPC and relevant provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The judgment was based on the depositions of 23 witnesses and supporting evidence presented during the trial.
As per the case details, the incident dates back to June 9, 2023, when victim Gajendra Nayak had gone to supervise land leveling work at Koshandora village under Kashipur block. While work was underway with a earth moving machine and labourers, the three accused confronted Gajendra.They then attacked him with axes, striking his legs and neck.
As workers raised an alarm, the assailants fled. Gajendra, critically injured and bleeding, was rushed to the Kashipur Community Health Centre, where doctors declared him dead. His son, Mihir Kumar Nayak, later filed an FIR at Kashipur police station.
Acting on the complaint, police arrested the three accused on June 12, 2023, and recovered the murder weapons.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant Public Prosecutor Ramprasad Patra.
