Brahmapur: A court in Ganjam district on Monday sentenced a 58-year-old man to life imprisonment for murdering his wife during a family dispute two years ago.
The Ganjam District and Sessions Court also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on convict Rajendra Jena. In default of payment, he will undergo an additional one year of rigorous imprisonment.
The court pronounced the verdict after examining 13 witnesses during the trial.
According to the prosecution, Jena killed his 56-year-old wife, Jhunu Jena, by striking her with a crowbar while she was asleep at their house under the Brahmapur Sadar police station limits on the night of August 28, 2024.
The couple allegedly had frequent quarrels over family issues. Jhunu’s brother lodged a complaint with the Sadar police station the following day, following which police reached the house and found her lying in a pool of blood.
A blood-stained crowbar was recovered near the woman’s body, the prosecution said.
The body was sent for post-mortem examination and police subsequently arrested Jena. He had remained in judicial custody since his arrest after the court rejected his bail plea.
