Man gets lifer for murder over illegal drugs trade in Odisha Capital

Bhubaneswar: A man was today sentenced to life imprisonment in connection with a sensational murder case in Odisha capital here last year.

The Bhubaneswar Additional District Judge-2 convicted accused Kanha Nayak in connection with the murder of P. Subrat Rao alias Chandu at Narayan Basti (slum) under Capital police limits on September 9, 2022 after examining 33 witnesses and other evidence to the case, said Additional Public Prosecutor Salil Pradhan.

Proceedings against Kanha’s wife Ranju Nayak, the co-accused in the case, were halted due to her non-appearance in the court, he added.

As per the court records, Kanha and his wife Ranju had attacked Rao with a wooden plank following a dispute over illegal drugs trade at around 10 pm on September 9 last year.

Rao was rushed to the Capital Hospital in a critical condition by the locals. However, he was declared dead on arrival by the doctors.

Capital police had registered a case in this regard on the basis of a complaint lodged by Rao’s brother P. Shivanand and arrested the accused duo on September 14, 2022. The police had filed chargesheets against the duo on January 9 this year.