Bhubaneswar: The Bhubaneswar ADJ court sentenced a man to life imprisonment for the brutal murder of a married woman at Bhimatangi Housing Board Colony in Bhubaneswar in July 2021.
The convict, Jagannath Pradhan of Jajpur district, was found guilty of murdering Priyanka Priyadarshini Sahoo, a married woman.
As per sources, Jagannath had known Priyanka for some time and was in love with her. However, Priyanka, who lived with her husband and son in Bhimatangi, did not respond to his feelings.
On the morning of the incident, when Priyanka’s husband had left for work, Jagannath entered her house carrying a knife and poison. He pressured her to elope with him and marry him. When she refused, an argument broke out between them. During the altercation, Jagannath slit Priyanka’s throat with a knife, killing her on the spot.
After committing the crime, the accused consumed poison and slit his wrist in an attempt to end his life. Before doing so, he sent a WhatsApp message to Priyanka’s husband, claiming that he killed her.
After seeing the message, Priyanka’s husband and a relative rushed to the house and broke open the door. They found Priyanka lying in a pool of blood, while Jagannath was unconscious.
Later, the police shifted the accused to Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar and later to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack for treatment. After recovering, he was arrested and produced before a court.
During the investigation, Jagannath confessed to the crime. Police also seized the knife used in the murder and a handwritten note from his possession.
