Odisha woman gets life term for murdering 8-year-old daughter

Angul: A special court in Angul district today awarded life imprisonment to a woman after holding her guilty of murdering eight-year-old daughter.

A special POCSO court’s Judge Prabhakar Ganthia pronounced the jail term for the woman, Damayanti Soren after convicting her under Section 302 of IPC. The Judge also fined Damayanti Rs 10,000. If the convicted woman fails to pay the fine, she will have to serve another six months jail term, the Judge said in the order.

Damayanti and husband Jitu Soren, a native of Mayurbhanj, were staying in a slum under Nalco police station limits. Over extra-martial affairs, the husband and wife were staying separately. Damayanti was in an extra-martial affair with one Bhagabat Murmu. She decided to eliminate her minor daughter whom she perceived as an obstacle.

In March 22, 2015, fearing life threat from Damayanti the minor girl slept at her neighbour’s place in the night. In an inebriated condition, the woman reached her neighbour’s place and forcibly took the minor daughter along with her. The next day the body of the minor girl with injury marks was recovered.

One Budha Murmu of the slum filed a complaint in Nalco police station alleging rape and murder of the minor girl.

Based on the complaint, police registered cases against Damayanti and Bhagabat and investigate the matter.

During the trial the Special POCSO court examined 23 witnesses and pronounced its verdict.