KEONJHAR: The court of district and sessions judge, Keonjhar on Thursday sentenced a 47-year-old man to life imprisonment for murdering his wife in a case of 2017.
Judge Ashok Kumar Panda further imposed fine of Rs 5,000 on the convict Bugunia Juang. Failure to pay the fine would lead to an additional jail term of one month.
Public Prosecutor Pradeep Kumar Das said the verdict was pronounced based on the statements of 12 witnesses including Bugunia’s daughter, and scientific report.
Das said Bugunia had frequent arguments with his wife Champi over his extra-marital affair. On September 4, 2017, Champi was sitting on the verandah of their house when Bugunia dragged her inside and beat her to death with a stick. Later, he took her body to nearby Dumani forest and set it on fire.
On learning about the incident, Bugunia’s younger brother Kailash lodged an FIR with Harichandanpur police following which he was arrested and lodged in the Keonjhar district jail. The burnt remains of Champi were also exhumed from the forest.