Rayagada: A court in Rayagada has sentenced a man to life imprisonment for murdering his wife following a domestic dispute in 2022, officials said on Wednesday.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Alpana Swain convicted accused Krishna Majhi under Section 302 of the IPC and awarded him life imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 20,000. The court also ordered that failure to pay the fine would result in an additional six months of rigorous imprisonment.
According to the prosecution, the incident took place late at night on September 30, 2022, in Chanapukel village under Tikiri police station limits in Rayagada district. Following a domestic quarrel, Krishna Majhi allegedly attacked his wife, Haka Majhi, with a tangia (axe), inflicting severe injuries on her neck and other parts of the body. She died on the spot.
After the incident, the deceased woman’s brother, Gopal Majhi, lodged a complaint at Tikiri police station, based on which police registered a case and arrested the accused.
During the trial, the prosecution examined 15 witnesses, including two eyewitnesses. After hearing the evidence and witness testimonies, the court held the accused guilty of murder and pronounced the sentence.
Public Prosecutor Rajat Ranjan Khatua represented the state during the trial.
