BERHAMPUR: Serving life imprisonment in the sensational Itishree Pradhan murder, former school inspector Netrananda Dandasena breathed his last in a Koraput jail on Monday morning.
Dandasena had complained of uneasiness and was transferred to Sahid Laxman Nayak Medical College and Hospital on Sunday night. He passed away in the morning. The cause of his death is yet to be ascertained.
Itishree, a non-formal teacher with the Upper Primary School at Tikri in Rayagada, was set on fire by an unidentified miscreant on school premises on October 27, 2013. She succumbed to the injuries at a private hospital in Visakhapatnam on November 1. The case had attracted media attention since the lady teacher had accused Dandasena, the then school inspector, of sexual and mental harassment. She also alleged apathy of police and administration as no action was taken against Dandasena. Following Itishree’s death, the Government asked the Crime Branch to take up investigation.
As the lone accused, Dandasena was charge-sheeted and faced trial in Rayagada District and Sessions Court which convicted him in April 2016. Next year, he was shifted to Koraput jail from Rayagada jail.
Basing on a PIL filed by law graduate Sudeepta Lenka of Bengaluru, the Supreme Court had also directed CBI to investigate the case.
