Two persons were sentenced to rigorous life imprisonment by Additional District Sessions Judge II Court, Rourkela on Friday in much-publicised sensational murder of five persons, including four engineering students and son of a prime accused.
Sources said Akshaya Kumar Swain (75), after his retirement from Rourkela Steel Plant, was staying in his house, near Sarana square of Jagada area of Rourkela city. His son Ajit Kumar Swain was staying with him along with his family. Ajit’s son Anup was a student of engineering in Padmanava College of Engineering and was also staying in the same house. Anup’s friends were regularly visiting their house and were engaged in various discussions at different points of time, which however was not accepted by Anup’s grand father Akshya. He was therefore expressing his displeasure by showing different reactions to Anup and his friends. Anup and his father Ajit however were not reacting to the approach of Akshya, considering his old age. On December 28, 2010 evening, Anup and four of his friends had organized a get together in their house. At about 9.45 pm, when they were taking dinner in one of their rooms, Akshya had allegedly poured petrol on the door and had set ablaze the room. Anup’s classmate friends Budhadeb Minz, Biswa Ranjan Satapathy, Gopal Chandra Pradhan and Piyush Ekka had died on the spot where as Anup was critically injured. Anup’s father Ajit, who also received burn injury, while making attempt to save these youths, also had died later in the hospital.
In this case, Rourkela police had registered a case under Sections 341, 436, 307 and 302 and arrested Akshya and one Phuljems Surin, who reportedly had assisted him in bringing the petrol and organising the crime. After examining as many as 35 witnesses, ADSJ Srnibash Pratihari held both Akshya and Phuljems guilty and sentenced rigorous life imprisonment to both the accused. Significantly, the witnesses included son and grandson of Akshya.