Odisha: Man sentenced to 17 years in jail for raping, killing daughter-in-law

Rairangpur: A local court in Mayurbhanj district sentenced a person to 17 years of imprisonment for raping and killing his daughter-in-law.

Based on police probe report and statements of 47 witnesses, the Additional District Judge (ADJ) Court, Rairangpur, convicted accused Ramgopal Khemka in the 2018 rape and murder case and awarded him 17 years in prison.

While the convict will serve 10 years in jail with fine of Rs 5,000 for rape charge, he was sentenced to 5 years with fine of Rs 3,000 for abetment to suicide. He was awarded 2 years in jail for crime against women.

According to reports, Ramgopal Khemka’s son Abinash of Rairangpur area had married Shivangi, the daughter of Dilip Agarwal of Badagaon in Sundargarh district, on April 28, 2015. Three years later, family members of Shivangi lodged a complaint at Rairangpur Town Police alleging that their daughter was raped before murder on January 12, 2018.

Allegedly, Shivangi was set on fire after she was raped by her father-in-law.

Based on allegation, police had registered a case against Khemka and his family members included his wife Sunita, son Abinash and daughter Payal.

Hearing the case, Additional District Judge Court Judge Deepak Kumar today convicted Kehmka and pronounced quantum of punishment. However, other accused persons were acquitted in the case for lack of evidence.

Special public prosecutor Akshay Mohanty was handling the case on behalf of the Government and senior lawyer Pradeep Rath of Baripada and Rajinder Ram of Rairangpur were handling the matter for the accused person.